The Game Continues: Waiting for the House of Peoples Session, What Croats Need for Vital National Interest

By: A. Čorbo-Zećo

The Law on the Southern Interconnection was adopted by the House of Representatives of the Parliament of the Federation of BiH. This is not the first time, we remind you that this law was adopted once before, but it did not move beyond the House of Representatives.

Now, the scheduling of a session of the House of Peoples of the FBiH Parliament is expected, because the wish of US Ambassador Michael Murphy is clear – to adopt the law by the end of this year, which means that representatives have a little more than 20 days to do so.

Otherwise, at yesterday's session, which was marked by threats from HDZ representatives, we saw that HDZ 1990 is also a true partner of HDZ BiH, which proposed a conclusion demanding the restructuring of BH-Gas and the formation of field offices, which means that HDZ will ultimately get what it asked for – the power to control the Southern Interconnection.

This conclusion was adopted due to Murphy's pressure and video calls to representatives. However, in the end, this conclusion, proposed by Mario Karamatić, was not supported by HDZ 1990 representatives!?

The game continues, and the traps we fall into are becoming increasingly complicated.

But what will happen at the session of the House of Peoples? Formally, there is a majority to adopt this law in this house as well, but there is also the option for the Croat Caucus to invoke vital national interest.

After Christian Schmidt amended the law, the provision states that they need two-thirds of the votes, which means that HDZ BiH also needs the support of HDZ 1990 delegates.

“In the event that two-thirds of one of the constituent peoples' caucuses in the House of Peoples or more than one Speaker or Deputy Speaker of the House of Peoples decides that the law, other regulation or act relates to a vital national interest as defined in Article IV.A.17a of this Constitution, the House of Peoples shall consider such law, regulation or act as a matter of vital interest”.

We also note that for the full application of the law, the signature of Lidija Bradara (HDZ), the President of the Federation, will be necessary for the law to enter into force.

All of this indicates the danger of delaying the process, and the slowness will become even greater after Murphy's final departure from BiH, who can primarily thank himself and Schmidt for the agony we are going through due to Dragan Čović's blockades. They gave him power, left the possibility of blockades, and are now seeking help from those whom they nullified with their decisions in 2022!