Confusion over the Government: The CEC has nothing to do with the national declaration of federal ministers

Declaring national affiliation for candidates whose names appear on candidate lists for local or general elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina is valid for one election cycle.

This means, as was the case with Haris Pleho, Nermin Bjelak and Rasim Smajić, that a candidate, for example, declared himself a Bosniak in 2012, and if he applied for participation in the 2014 general elections, he also had to remain a Bosniak, writes the Patria news agency. 

When it comes to elected positions (councilors, representatives, delegates, delegates), the Election Law of BiH has clearly defined this. 

- When talking about appointed positions, specifically ministers in the Government of the Federation of BiH, which has been the subject of most controversy these days, the Central Election Commission of BiH has nothing to do with their declaration of national affiliation, confirmed for Patria by Branko Petrić, a member of the CEC, adding that the Constitution of the Federation of BiH has clearly defined all this.  

At the session of the House of Representatives of the Parliament of BiH, a doubt arose as to whether there are too many Serbs in the new composition of the FBiH Government, and whether it is unconstitutional. 

Prime Minister Fadil Novalić (SDA) said that the problem can be solved by having DF candidate Aleksandar Remetić declare himself as belonging to the category of others. HDZ leader Dragan Čović is explicit and does not give up on the fact that he is entitled to five Croatian and one Serbian seat. 

The first man of the DF, Željko Komšić, does not give up on three Serbian seats and one Bosniak seat, while the Vice President of the Federation of BiH, Milan Dunović, withdrew his consent to the Decision on the appointment of the FBiH Government because the DF does not want to be part of an unconstitutional formation of the executive authority. 

Deputy President of the SDA, Bakir Izetbegović, stated that Čović promised to appoint a minister of culture and sports from the category of others, but Čović now does not want to hear about it.