Nikšić: More politics among HJPC members than in Parliament sessions

The High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council (HJPC) of Bosnia and Herzegovina elected Ranko Debevec as the new President of the BiH Court, but a fierce debate is still ongoing in public about whether the BiH Constitution was violated and the national balance disrupted, given that there are no longer Bosniaks in leadership positions in judicial institutions, writes Patria.

Nermin Nikšić, leader of the Social Democratic Party, told Patria that "it was clear to everyone who followed the HJPC session that the communication style between the members of this institution is such that we can all be worried, because there was more politics present than in some Parliament sessions".

- Such a relationship between HJPC members is certainly not good, and it is something that needs to be changed, because dealing with politics is not within the jurisdiction of this institution. Given that the HJPC yesterday established the principle that when electing holders of judicial functions, their expertise and professionalism are exclusively and primarily considered, not national affiliation, I expect the same principle to be applied in all future appointments made by this body. I hope that those political parties and leaders who openly advocated for this principle during the appointment of the President of the BiH Court will be consistent when it comes to other appointments in judicial institutions.

In this regard, I expect, above all, from the President of HDZ BiH, Dragan Čović, to ensure the withdrawal of his party's request to suspend funding for the Municipal Court in Čitluk solely because judges belonging to the Bosniak and Serb peoples have been appointed to that court - said Nermin Nikšić, writes NAP.

Debevec will replace Meddžida Kreso in this position, whose second term expires on January 26 next year. The HJPC elected the new President of the BiH Court from among seven candidates. In addition to Debevec, the candidates were BiH judges Branko Perić, Izo Tankić, Mira Smajlović, and Tihomir Lukes. Prosecutor of the BiH Prosecutor's Office Ismet Šuškić and Chief Prosecutor of the Sarajevo Canton Prosecutor's Office Dalida Burzić also applied for the position.