HOUSE OF PEOPLES SESSION Čović did not allow discussion on the agenda, Špirić remains in the Collegium

(Patria) - The session of the House of Peoples of the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina (PSBiH) has begun, where draft laws on border control and personal data protection will be considered, which represent key priorities on our country's European path.

Dragan Čović, Chairperson of the Collegium of the House of Peoples, noted that today's session is exclusively dedicated to these laws and did not allow discussion on the agenda. He most likely did this because he wanted to avoid the request for the dismissal of Nikola Špirić from the Collegium.

"My request is that we arrange today's session and the next one so that we adopt this agenda and work exclusively on the laws today," said Čović, reacting to Nenad Vuković's requests to discuss the agenda.

"I have reviewed urgent sessions, and they always start with a discussion of the agenda. On the other hand, as a representative of the PDP, I do not allow us to be accused of blocking the EU path by discussing the agenda. We cannot be the subject of criticism," said Vuković, adding that he requests a discussion on the agenda.

Čović stood by his position that the goal is for these two laws to pass today and for two more European laws to be completed in the next 15 days.

Vuković said he wants Čović to state under which article of the Rules of Procedure he does not allow something else to be proposed.

Želimir Nešković, delegate in the Club of Serbs, expressed regret that Čović did not open the agenda item for discussion of the agenda.

"It has been shown that there is a majority for the adoption of these laws, and I am sure that these two laws will be adopted, as well as some future ones that lead us to the EU. However, denying the possibility of discussing the agenda is a violation of the rules of procedure, I don't know with what intention," stated Nešković, requesting a 15-minute break.

The break was not granted, as only a club can request it, and the agenda was adopted.

Otherwise, last week, at an urgent session, the House of Representatives of the PSBiH adopted both draft laws and sent them for further consideration to the House of Peoples. The draft law on border control was sent for consideration under an urgent procedure, which means there will be no possibility to propose amendments, while an abbreviated procedure was requested for the Draft Law on Personal Data Protection.

The draft laws, which were determined by the Council of Ministers of BiH in mid-December, are marked with the EI designation, confirming their alignment with the legal acquis of the European Union.