SDA calls on HDZ to form the Government of the Federation of BiH, Čović says he is waiting for Izetbegović's election

Written by: Amra Varatanović

The Main Board of the SDA calls on HDZ BiH to propose a candidate for the position of President of the Federation of BiH, because only after that can the procedure for appointing a new convocation of the Government of the Federation of BiH be initiated. Any delay is unnecessary and harmful, and HDZ is responsible for the consequences, was one of the conclusions of the session of the Main Board of the SDA held on July 27, 2019. 

HDZ BiH and its president Dragan Čović remained silent in response to the SDA's call. 

At the session of September 6, the Main Board of the SDA again called on HDZ BiH to propose a candidate for the President of the Federation of BiH.

"We call on HDZ BiH to propose a candidate for the position of President of the Federation of BiH in order to finally initiate the procedures for appointing a new convocation of the Government of the Federation of BiH."

Again, there was no reaction from HDZ. There was none because the President of the SDA, Bakir Izetbegović, himself stated that the government should be formed vertically and simultaneously the Government of the Federation of BiH and the Council of Ministers of BiH. While the formation of the Council of Ministers of BiH is stalled due to the Annual National Plan and the SNSD's refusal to reach an agreement on that issue, there was no obstacle to starting the process of appointing a new Government of the Federation of BiH. Considering that the government consists of cadres from the SDA, HDZ, and SBB, who will again be partners, the actual need for a new government did not really exist. 

Čović has repeatedly emphasized that political processes regarding the formation of the government could intensify after the SDA Congress is held, at which Izetbegović will be re-elected as party president. He repeated this yesterday in Mostar when he hosted Slovak Minister of Foreign Affairs Miroslav Lajčák. 

"I hope that after Saturday and the completion of some political processes within some political parties in BiH, here I mean the SDA, we will start discussing some key issues so that the government in BiH can function," Čović specified.

Some SDA officials emphasized that HDZ BiH cannot condition the formation of the Government of the Federation of BiH on the adoption of the Election Law, on which Čović insists.

While the portfolios in the Council of Ministers of BiH have long been divided, the portfolios in the Government of the Federation of BiH are still being speculated about. For now, it is known that the Prime Minister of the Federation of BiH will remain Fadil Novalić (HDZ BiH), and finances will continue to be led by Jelka Milićević (HDZ). One of the ministerial positions that could be a bone of contention is the interior ministry. The choice of minister will directly affect the appointment of the head of the Federal Police Administration, who cannot be of the same nationality as the minister of the Federal Ministry of Interior. Because of this, the Government of the Federation of BiH in technical mandate adopted a conclusion that it will not appoint a new director of the FPA until the government is formed.