House of Representatives of the BiH Parliamentary Assembly rejects the HJPC report for 2023

(Patria) - The House of Representatives of the BiH Parliamentary Assembly, at the continuation of today's session, did not adopt the Annual Report of the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council of BiH for 2023.

Nineteen representatives voted for the report, nine were against, and seven abstained. Representatives of HDZ BiH and SNSD voted against.

"There is no entity majority, the report has not been adopted," said the Chair of the House of Representatives of the BiH Parliamentary Assembly, Nebojša Radmanović.

Due to the lack of an entity majority, it has been referred to the House Collegium for harmonization. Also referred to the House Collegium for harmonization, due to the lack of an entity majority, was the proposal for a conclusion by MP Šerif Špago, by which the House of Representatives of the BiH Parliamentary Assembly tasks the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council of BiH to, as soon as possible, review the national structure of holders of judicial functions in the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton and align it with the relevant provisions of the Constitution of the Federation of BiH.

We remind you that the HJPC is in an unenviable situation because, due to a lack of financial resources and the unadopted budget of BiH institutions for 2024, the Integrity Department, which should verify the assets of holders of judicial functions, has not yet been established.

At this moment, 50 judges and prosecutors cannot assume their duties because there is no one to verify them, and by the end of the year, this number could be around 200 people.

On the other hand, the mandate of one HJPC member has expired, and another cannot assume office without a completed verification. Mandates for two more HJPC members are expiring soon.

The obligation of the BiH authorities is to adopt a new Law on the HJPC, and from HDZ BiH, whose minister is at the head of the Ministry of Justice of BiH, they do not hide that they want a new organization of the HJPC.

According to information from Patria, some of the HJPC's competencies could be abolished or transferred to other bodies under the new law.