Debate on Initiative in Parliament: Will BiH Finally Get Lyrics for its Anthem

Whether Bosnia and Herzegovina will finally get lyrics for its anthem could be known as early as January 12, when the House of Representatives of the BiH PA will hold a session to consider the initiative by Šemsudin Mehmedović to form a Commission for the selection of the anthem lyrics of Bosnia and Herzegovina, writes the Patria News Agency.

In 2001, BiH adopted the Law on the State Anthem of BiH, which gave our country a melody, but not lyrics, placing BiH among the few countries that do not have lyrics for their national anthem.

- In accordance with the above, the Council of Ministers is tasked with establishing a Commission for the selection of the anthem lyrics and submitting a bill on amendments to the Law on the State Anthem of BiH to the BiH PA. The Commission for the selection of the anthem lyrics should include appointed MPs and delegates from both houses of the Parliamentary Assembly of BiH, as well as cultural and public workers - the initiative states.

The task of the Commission is to conduct a competition for the selection of the anthem lyrics and to choose them, based on which the Council of Ministers of BiH will determine the Bill on Amendments to the Law on the State Anthem of BiH and submit it to the BiH Parliament.

- After several unsuccessful attempts, I believe that the time has come for the peoples of BiH, through the activities of the competent authorities, to get the complete form of the national anthem in the shortest possible period - Mehmedović states in the initiative.