Novković to be replaced by Tegeltija: Will Bosniaks lose the top position in the HJPC BiH again?

Bosniaks will again not have a key position in the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council of Bosnia and Herzegovina (HJPC), writes the BiH news agency Patria. After the mandate of the current HJPC president, Milorad Novković, expires on July 7 this year, it is highly likely that Milan Tegeltija, president of the Basic Court in Banja Luka, who was elected as a new member of the HJPC BiH a few days ago, will take his place.

Tegeltija's appointment as a member of the HJPC is not accidental. This actually fulfills the legal conditions for Tegeltija to replace Novković.

Asim Crnalić, former member of the HJPC, explains to Patria that the top position in the HJPC, although it seems illogical, again belongs to judges from the Serb or Croat people. The reason for this, he explains, is that the Court of BiH is currently headed by judge Meddžida Kreso, who is from the Bosniak people.

- Care is taken to ensure that all three peoples are represented at the head of the HJPC, the Court of BiH, and the Prosecutor's Office of BiH. Meddžida Kreso from the Bosniak people is currently at the head of the Court of BiH, Goran Salihović is at the head of the Prosecutor's Office of BiH, so the position of HJPC president again belongs to judges from the Serb people - Crnalić explained.

- It would be good if judge Goran Nezirović, who is realistically the most serious candidate for the president of this institution, an exceptional expert, were to head the HJPC, but the distribution of functions is simply such that it is not possible for that to happen - Crnalić told Patria.