HDZ's plan thwarted: FBiH Parliament will not adopt Mostar budget, harmonization to follow

SARAJEVO, (Patria) - The House of Representatives of the FBiH Parliament did not adopt the Bill on Amendments to the Law on Budgets of FBiH in the text as previously adopted by the House of Peoples. 

Thus, HDZ's plan to have the Parliament re-adopt the Mostar budget and have Ljubo Bešlić manage it was thwarted. 

The Joint Harmonization Commission will now be tasked with preparing and proposing a solution to the contentious issue. 

Deputies in the House of Representatives of the FBiH Parliament had a heated debate on the Bill on Amendments to the Law on Budgets of FBiH. 

This law was adopted in different texts by the two parliamentary Houses. First, the House of Representatives of FBiH passed the Bill with an amendment by Lana Prlić (SDP), which leaves the adoption of the Mostar City budget to the City Council. 

Then, the House of Peoples adopted the Bill without that amendment. 

The entire issue has actually stalled over Mostar and the adoption of the budget for this City. 

Lana Prlić stated that nothing has changed and she sees no reason for her amendment to be changed. 

“Mostar is no longer a city of circumstance; elections have been held, the City Council will be constituted, and therefore we should not make it a city of circumstance. I understand that some structures are keen on two people managing the budget. You will ask me what happens if the councilors do not adopt the budget by March 31st, but you must know that it is their obligation,” Prlić said. 

Irfan Čengić stated that there is a need to discuss this. 

“If we accept today what the House of Peoples has bizarrely accepted, we are violating the Constitution of FBiH, and I will gladly sign an appeal to the Constitutional Court. We are violating at least two provisions of the Constitution of FBiH. City councilors in Mostar have the right, in accordance with the Constitution, to adopt the budget,” Čengić stated. 

I ask you why we don't have, for example, the budget for Goražde here, which still doesn't have that document.

“The House of Peoples has been holding back laws and strategies important for citizens for years, and now they have rushed to adopt something. Double standards are being used. When we talk about political consequences, we will send a bad message to the citizens who elected the City Council. We will be responsible for the millions in damages that will be spent by one person,” Čengić concluded. 

Damir Mašić, on behalf of the SDP BiH Club, called on everyone who previously voted for Lana Prlić's amendment to do so again. 

“If this passes, first we will show the citizens who voted to give the Mostar budget to two people, and we will also file an appeal with the Constitutional Court of FBiH,” Mašić stated. 

Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mladen Bošković (HDZ BiH), stated that it is roughly known how the vote will end. 

“This law is not on the agenda of the Parliament of the Federation of BiH for the first time. If it is unconstitutional today, then it was unconstitutional all along. None of my colleagues were brave enough to raise the issue of unconstitutionality, and today they are so brave. The City of Mostar is organized as it is and is not organized like other cities in BiH. And in Bosnia and Herzegovina, there are only two cities, and the rest are unconstitutional according to colleagues who discussed earlier. Will we be more legally secure if we vote for this proposal, or less legally secure? This budget has never been adopted by one person,” Bošković stated. 

Čengić replied, stating that Bošković is not right and that in the past, Mostar did not have elections and elected authorities. 

Ismet Osmanović (SDA) replied to Mašić and Bošković, stating that this is indeed one of the difficult issues. 

“It is clear that the situation this year is completely different compared to previous years. What bothered me in Mašić's presentation was the threatening tone. Everyone in this house has the right and obligation to vote according to their conscience. Even before the session started, I decided not to support this law and believe that it should be left to the City Council. The Mostar City Council has been elected, and we must respect the will of the citizens of Mostar,” Osmanović stated. 

He adds that he “fully understands Bošković, but that in previous years they were forced to act as they did, but this year is different because the citizens have elected representatives”.