After bilateral meetings: Formation of the FBiH Government and Council of Ministers on Friday

Around 4 PM, Dragan Čović, leader of HDZ BiH, arrived at the building of the Presidency of BiH, after Bakir Izetbegović, deputy president of SDA, and Damir Bećirović, member of the Presidency of DF, had previously held a meeting, reports a reporter from the Bosnian news agency Patria. However, the meeting of representatives of the three parties did not take place.

Bakir Izetbegović, deputy president of SDA, briefly addressed journalists, stating that he held two meetings today with HDZ BiH leader Dragan Čović and a representative of DF whom he did not name, adding that he believes they are close to a solution.

- I cannot discuss details, but we are very close to an agreement. I will not tell you anything more for the sake of reaching an agreement, said Izetbegović without explaining how the fact that HDZ does not give up on the Ministry of Finance will affect DF. He added that he expects an agreement to be reached in the next day or two.

Dragan Čović, leader of HDZ, told journalists that he held two meetings today with Bakir Izetbegović and that positions have been brought closer, but there is still no final agreement.

- We are moving in the direction of having both the FBiH Government and the Council of Ministers formed by Friday. So, we will not bother you with details now, because practically nothing has been agreed yet except that we have brought positions closer, but the Ministry of Finance, very clearly and precisely I say, belongs to HDZ because the prime minister is from the Bosniak people and that is how it goes according to the Constitution – said Čović, not wanting to explain how this could affect DF.
- I did not meet with Željko Komšić, but it is not excluded that we will meet, but that will not happen today – said Čović, adding that it still remains that HDZ “in some combinations” is entitled to six ministerial positions.