SNSD and HDZ again did not return from the break: They broke the quorum of the House of Peoples of BiH, the agenda is again more important than European laws

(Patria) - The session of the House of Peoples of the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina failed again because delegates from HDZ and SNSD did not return to the hall after the break.

- I state that there is no quorum for continuing the session because five delegates from the Bosniak Caucus, two from the Croat Caucus, and two from the Serb Caucus are attending the session - announced Kemal Ademović, Speaker of the House of Peoples, who was again left alone at the collegium bench.

It could have been anticipated that this would happen during a short discussion that preceded the formal request of the Croat Caucus for a break.

Today's session was a continuation of the one started on January 29, when a quorum was also prevented because delegates from HDZ and SNSD objected to the proposed additions to the agenda. The same situation repeated today, but the denial of quorum has been a practice for months.

Among the agenda items are "European laws" in the field of intellectual property, as well as two key laws for opening BiH's accession negotiations with the European Union - the law on the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council of BiH and amendments to the Law on the Court of BiH.

- What harm would we do to this country if we respected this agenda of 60 items. I have nothing against colleagues requesting additions, but if I can ask you to withdraw the additions so that we can have a productive session. If insistence is placed on these items, others, the same will happen as on January 29 - warned Nikola Špirić (SNSD), Deputy Speaker of the House of Peoples, before the break.

He added that they have no dilemmas with the items they put on the agenda as a collegium, but they do have dilemmas about the newly proposed ones.

Dragan Čović (HDZ), who is also the Deputy Speaker of the House of Peoples, said that it would be "wise" to have a session with the agenda determined at the collegium. He called for "lowering tensions".

- The outsmarting can continue, I just don't know who will profit from it - Čović added.

Delegate Nenad Vuković (PDP) ironically invited Čović to use the diversion method to finish the session as they have been accustomed to so far - before it even begins.

- He should work according to the Constitution and Rules of Procedure, not negotiate about how the session will succeed - Vuković added.

The head of the Bosniak Caucus, Šefik Džaferović (SDA), pointed out that one could say that Čović is right if the cellophane in which he wrapped everything during his presentation is not unwrapped.

- You are offering us to agree to your terms outside the Rules of Procedure and that only what you want is on the agenda. The Rules of Procedure say that we vote on that, you say "don't refer to that because I demand it to be so"... - said Džaferović.

He added that a practice is being established where three delegates nullify 54 other deputies and delegates, i.e., not only the House of Peoples but the entire Parliamentary Assembly of BiH. As a reminder, HDZ and SNSD each have three delegates in the Croat Caucus and Serb Caucus, and the absence of three means there is no quorum and no session.