SDA also voted for the Electricity Transmission Law

The session of the House of Peoples of the BiH Parliament has finally been enabled today. We remind you that the session could not be held twice already due to lack of quorum. The agenda of the session also includes the Law on residency and domicile of BiH citizens under an urgent procedure. Also at the session, the request of the Council of Ministers for the consideration of the Bill amending the Law on the Establishment of the Electricity Transmission Company, which plans the distribution of accumulated funds of Elektroprijenos, will be considered. Delegates in the House of Peoples are also expected to confirm the new composition of the Independent Board today.

The Speaker of the House of Peoples, Dragan Čović, noted that the Constitutional Court of BiH determined that the Bill on Electricity Transmission is not harmful to Bosniaks, after the Bosniak caucus filed a vital national interest. Delegates immediately voted on this proposal, and the Electricity Transmission Law was adopted. Delegates of SDA also voted for this law, while Mladen Ivanić from PDP and Ognjen Tadić from SDS voted against it.

Regarding the Bill on residency and domicile, the Constitutional Court of BiH also stated that vital national interests were not violated. Halid Genjac, the Speaker of the Bosniak Caucus, stated during the debate that this is an extremely important law for BiH, which is still in the process of people returning to their homes.

- The Constitutional Court said that this law can be voted on as stated. The decision should be respected, but it is not unimportant that three judges of that court reacted diametrically. Unfortunately, if the law is misused, legal protection can be sought. We need to pass a quality law, not refer to legal protection - said Genjac.

He noted that the existing law states that a returnee is considered a returnee until they receive an ID card.

- A returnee who has returned and received an ID card ceases to be a returnee. With the new article, they are a citizen of BiH with residency, and the new article requires proof, i.e., proof is required from a returnee who has ceased to be a returnee. This will lead to arbitrary interpretations, which is contrary to Annex 7. It is completely unacceptable to adopt such significant matters under an urgent procedure - added Genjac, emphasizing that the adoption of this law would be against Annex 7.

- We are against any possibility of manipulating residency, we are for electronic signatures, but we are not for ambiguities and incompatibilities. I ask you not to vote for this today. I am convinced that we can reach a solution. Therefore, I propose a conclusion that this law goes into regular procedure - said Genjac.

Borjana Krišto noted that BiH needs consensus and compromise and requested a 15-minute break to consider this conclusion.