At the session of the House of Peoples of the BiH Parliamentary Assembly, Čović absent, Vuković demands removal of Špirić, break called to 'cool heads'

(Patria) - The 10th emergency session of the House of Peoples of the BiH Parliamentary Assembly has begun, with Collegium member Dragan Čović not attending. The agenda includes the request of the House of Representatives of the Parliamentary Assembly of BiH to consider the Proposal for a Law on Amendments to the Law on Salaries and Allowances in Institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina under urgent procedure, as well as the request of delegate in the House of Peoples Džemal Smajić to consider the Proposal for a Law on Amendments to the Law on Salaries and Allowances in Institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina under urgent procedure.

All five delegates of both Bosniaks and Serbs are present at the session, as well as four delegates of the Croat Club.

Delegate Nenad Vuković requested an addition to the agenda of today's session, namely a proposal for the dismissal of the first deputy/second deputy/Chairman Nikola Špirić.

He reminded that the previous emergency session was interrupted due to lack of quorum.

"Where does it say that the agenda of an emergency session cannot be supplemented?" said Vuković.

He added that he does not want to leave the impression that he is waging a personal battle regarding the removal of Špirić.

"Your removal from the Collegium is a continuation of resolving this political situation we have at the BiH level. A special reason is your leadership of the Collegium, violation of the Rules of Procedure. Where is our VAT Law? We have reasons why you should step down. Your sitting here has nothing to do with protecting the interests of the Republika Srpska. Nothing bad will happen to the RS if someone else from the Serb Club sits here," added Vuković.

Želimir Nešković (SDS) asked how a new emergency session could be scheduled when the previous one had not been concluded.

"The Rules of Procedure are precise. I expected a continuation of the previous ninth session. If you have already started the session in this way, why did you not give us the minutes of the previous session?" said Nešković.

Delegate Zlatko Miletić also warned that the Rules of Procedure were being violated.

"As members of the Collegium, you have violated the Rules of Procedure on ten occasions, and this has lost all meaning. If you continue doing this, I will report you to the BiH Prosecutor's Office for the criminal offense of arbitrariness," said Miletić.

Head of the Bosniak Club Šefik Džaferović (SDA) emphasized that not including the proposal on the agenda leads nowhere.

"You are preventing delegates from proposing amendments. All of this was done in the past. The interrupted session should be continued. That is a normal thing, but I will not remain silent. This is a flagrant violation of the Rules of Procedure that can lead to very serious responsibility," said Džaferović.

Delegate Safet Softić reminded that the last regular session was held in October.

"In this House, out of 15 people, nine said they do not support Nikola Špirić. I don't know where you are going; tomorrow is March 5, tomorrow is the deadline for us to submit laws to the EU. The budget and the negotiator should have been adopted by tomorrow," said Softić.

Delegate Nenad Vuković again asked Špirić whether he would put the supplement to the agenda to a vote, to which he replied that the agenda of the session was already known.

"Then I will propose a conclusion. I request that immediately after the 10th session, the 11th session be held, at which the removal of Špirić, as well as ministers Staša Košarac and Srđan Amidžić, will be considered," said Vuković.

Collegium member Kemal Ademović (NIP) said that this has already turned into political bickering.

"Let the House declare itself on any proposal. Let it be included on the agenda because the Rules of Procedure provide for it. And I don't see why it should now be interpreted that the agenda cannot be supplemented. I am not here to violate anything; I am here in the service of citizens, in the public interest," said Ademović.

Špirić repeated that the agenda was set, and that Ademović had agreed and now changed his mind.

"Mr. Čović is not here, so we do not have a consensus, and we continue with our work," said Špirić.

Even after Vuković insisted that the secretary clarify the provisions of the Rules of Procedure, she stated that she had no authority to interfere in the competence of the Collegium.

Sredoje Nović, delegate of SNSD, also took the floor, calling on delegates to stick to the agenda.

"Further discussion leads nowhere, and I propose that we move on to discuss the first item," said Nović.

Vuković again called on the secretary to assist the Collegium on some disputed issues, stating that it is a high function and that it should be done.

Špirić said he had to stand up for the protection of the House secretary and that it was unacceptable to compare her with a secretary.

"I know you also have a candidate for secretary, but slowly," said Špirić.

Špirić called on delegates Vuković and Nešković to cool their heads, and gave a one-hour break.