GRADIŠKA CASE Council of Ministers of BiH Conclusions Not Adopted, Bosniaks Voted Against

(Patria) - Ministers of Bosniak ethnicity did not vote at today's extraordinary session of the Council of Ministers of BiH, which was convened due to the collapse of a part of the bridge at the Gradiška border crossing.

The proposed conclusions stipulated that the Ministry of Security undertake all necessary activities for the temporary opening of the Novi Most - Gornji Varoš border crossing in order to ensure the unimpeded flow of people and goods, and that the Indirect Taxation Authority and the BiH Border Police, each within their own jurisdiction, undertake all activities for the unimpeded and efficient temporary border crossing in order to ensure the necessary technical, staffing, and other conditions for its operationalization.

As confirmed for Patria, ministers of Bosniak ethnicity did not vote at all, and therefore the agenda item was not adopted.

The ministers of Bosniak ethnicity in the Council of Ministers of BiH are Elmedin Konaković, who is officially absent, Zukan Helez, and Sevlid Hurtić.

Ministers demanded that the issue of settlement between the entities of RS and FBiH be resolved first, and only then should the opening of a new border crossing be considered.

A second round of voting will be held at 1:15 PM...

"In two rounds of voting, with six votes in favor and two against (Minister of Foreign Affairs Elmedin Konaković and Minister for Human Rights and Refugees Sevlid Hurtić), and the Deputy Chairperson of the Council of Ministers of BiH and Minister of Defense Zukan Helez and Minister of Transport and Communications Edin Forto, who did not exercise their right to vote, the proposed conclusion of the Chairperson of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina was not adopted, which would have, due to extraordinary circumstances caused by the collapse of the bridge at the Gradiška Border Crossing, tasked the Ministry of Security of BiH, the Indirect Taxation Authority of BiH, and the BiH Border Police to ensure the unimpeded and efficient functioning of the temporary Gradiška Novi Most - Gornji Varoš border crossing. At the same time, the Information of the Ministry of Security of BiH on the collapse of a part of the bridge structure at the MGP Gradiška – Stara Gradiška and the suspension of traffic, and the Information of the Ministry of Communications and Transport of BiH on the collapse of a part of the pedestrian path on the bridge over the Sava River and the closure of the interstate bridge over the Sava River to traffic were not accepted," the Council of Ministers of BiH announced.