Konaković: The election of the BiH Presidency member from the Croatian people should be resolved within constitutional reforms

(Patria) - Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina Elmedin Konaković said after today's session of the Council of Ministers of BiH that he expects yesterday's leaders' meeting to be fully implemented.

The report on BiH's progress on the European path is expected at the session of the European Council in March. That session is of exceptional importance for Bosnia and Herzegovina, which needs to achieve reforms in legislation, primarily concerning the law on conflict of interest and the law on courts. In addition to these conditions, it is necessary to carry out preparations to have an adequate and improved electoral process.

Konaković explained that the European Union clearly stated that BiH will find the answer for the start of negotiations in the adoption of the law on conflict of interest, prevention of money laundering, courts, and Frontex (European Border and Coast Guard Agency).

He said he is not euphoric, but satisfied, and that working groups are already discussing details today on which they agree or disagree.

"After that, they will present us with final documents, probably with several red lines on which they will not agree and on which political leaders will have to make the final decision," he emphasized.

Speaking about the law on courts, Konaković said they are very careful regarding the jurisdiction of the Appellate Chamber and the city where it will be located, while regarding the amendment of the BiH Election Law, the important part concerns the integrity of the elections.

He explained that the HDZ insists that within the technical amendment of the Election Law, the issue of the Presidency member from the Croatian people should also be resolved, and added that they will agree to this only if that issue is resolved within constitutional reforms. This statement comes after Čović today tried to explain that their condition for the election of the BiH Presidency member from the Croatian people is not a "political change but a small addition."

However, that addition, as Čović calls it, is actually a third entity.

The US Embassy and Ambassador Michael Murphy stated in a press release that the Election Law can be changed due to the technical package of the electoral process, and all other changes must go in a package with amendments to the BiH Constitution.