EVERYTHING ON HOLD: Nešić Resigns, Krišto Has a Legal Deadline of 15 Days to Propose a Candidate for Minister of Security of Bosnia and Herzegovina

(Patria) - On the same day the House of Representatives of the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina voted to dismiss the arrested Minister of Security of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Nenad Nešić, news arrived that Nešić had submitted his resignation. However, the dismissal was formally voted through, and the resignation was received on Friday, January 24. It is now up to the Chairwoman of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Borjana Krišto (HDZ BiH), to carry out the procedure to the end.

According to the Law on the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina, ministers and deputy ministers may submit their resignation without explanation.

"Ministers and deputy ministers submit their resignation to the Chair of the Council of Ministers. If a minister or deputy minister resigns or is permanently prevented from performing their duties, the Chair of the Council of Ministers shall appoint their successor no later than 15 days from the date of submission of the resignation and/or from the date it is established that the minister or deputy minister is permanently prevented from performing their duties," states Article 14 of the law.

The successor of the minister or deputy minister assumes office after being confirmed by the House of Representatives in accordance with the procedure provided for by this law.

Nešić was arrested on December 26, and Krišto authorized Deputy Minister Ivica Bošnjak (HDZ BiH) to perform all duties.

"The deputy minister temporarily performs the duties of the minister during the period between: a) the day the minister submits their resignation and the day the successor of said minister assumes office in accordance with the procedure provided for by this law; or b) the day it is established that the minister is permanently prevented from performing their duties and the day the successor of said minister assumes office in accordance with the procedure provided for by this law," is specified in the law.

Although the law prescribes the procedure after the submission of a resignation, it does not specify what happens if the 15-day deadline for proposing a successor is breached.

Until Borjana Krišto proposes a candidate, the House of Representatives of the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina cannot decide on support.

Following the new situation in the House of Representatives of the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the new majority that voted for the dismissal of Nešić, as well as Nebojša Radmanović, without the participation of HDZ BiH, Krišto will evidently wait to see how the situation in the coalition develops. The President of HDZ BiH, Dragan Čović, also did not rush to conclusions, but stated that he would invite coalition partners to a meeting, "even if we disagree, but we need to talk."

Given that the parties of the troika, which also initiated Radmanović's dismissal, will begin talks with the opposition from the RS, it is evident that HDZ will wait a little longer before taking a final stance on the entire situation, and consequently, Krišto will also wait before proposing a new Minister of Security of Bosnia and Herzegovina.