SDP will decide on January 31 whether to have a candidate for the Vice President of FBiH

The absurd Election Law of FBiH, and the political ingenuity of SDP BiH to carefully calculate mathematically when compiling lists for cantonal assemblies how many candidates from the Serb people they will propose and in which positions, has led to an absurd situation in the Parliament of the Federation of BiH, writes the Patria News Agency.

Thus, SDP, which has 12 representatives in the House of Representatives, managed to have as many as six out of 13 elected delegates in the House of Peoples in the Serb Club. This opposition party, which suffered a complete debacle in the 2014 elections, is the "main" one in the Serb Club, and thus holds the key to the election of the executive government of the Federation of BiH.

Democratic Front has 14 representatives in the House of Representatives, and only one delegate in the Serb Club.

And now everything is stuck on the election of the Vice President of FBiH from the Serb people. DF proposed an independent candidate, Slobodan Šoja, who did not have "four signatures" from delegates from the Serb Club for candidacy at the last session, and SDP did not propose its candidate.

However it looks, the math is relentless and does not favor the ruling coalition at all. 

However, if SDP, which now holds the key to forming the government in FBiH, and thus the state government, in its hands, proposes its candidate, then it must make a political agreement with the SDA - HDZBiH - DF coalition for support in the House of Representatives, where they have a majority.

SDP President Nermin Nikšić announced via Facebook from Qatar that the formation of the government is not waiting for his return to BiH, and that the ruling coalition is lying and is incapable of forming a government.

The truth is, however, quite different, no matter how much Nikšić denies it. They are precisely waiting for him to reach an agreement with Željko Komšić, as well as with Bakir Izetbegović and Dragan Čović. 

Either the coalition will show its flexibility, partly prove that it is in favor of a swift establishment of government, and accept SDP's candidate for the Vice President of FBiH from the Serb people, or DF's independent candidate will pass, and in return, "something" from the government pie (director positions, membership in management and executive boards) will be offered to SDP as well, in order to finally conclude the process of forming the government, the delay of which has already begun to be viewed critically by European Union officials.

SDP's stance will be known on January 31 at the session of the Main Board, which is the only body that can change the previous decision that this party does not participate in the government, i.e., does not provide its candidates for legislative and executive power. 

This means that the formation of the government in the Federation of BiH will not be possible before February.