They claim to be 'majorized', but the data refutes them: 301 more Croats employed in 38 state institutions than they are entitled to

(Patria) - A heated debate about the national representation of Bosniaks in BiH institutions was held at the last session of the House of Representatives of the BiH Parliament, and the analysis was based on official data provided by 74 state institutions in response to a parliamentary question from Jasmin Emrić. Some institutions refused to provide data, as is the case with the Presidency of BiH, and Secretary General Zoran Đerić stated that they are not obliged to answer parliamentary questions.

The data from these institutions showed a significant imbalance of Bosniaks in numerous institutions, especially in leadership positions. Some representatives tried to shift the focus of the debate to the "lack of Croats" in some federal institutions. Thus, representative Predrag Kožul listed some federal institutions that HDZ is interested in, such as the Federal Police Administration.

Representative Šemsudin Mehmedović reacted to some media reports that followed this session.

He emphasized that he insists on consistent respect for the Constitution of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the laws of Bosnia and Herzegovina regarding this issue.

"It is untrue that institutions where a large number of Croats are missing have been omitted (Court of BiH, Prosecutor's Office of BiH, HJPC), as colleague Predrag Kožul claimed at the session of the House of Representatives of the BiH Parliament. It is untrue that '223 Croats are missing in BiH institutions'. The 1991 census was used to obtain this manipulative figure", stated Mehmedović.

The 2013 census is used or should be used when filling state institutions, and only for state police agencies is the 1991 census still used.

Mehmedović stated that in 67 institutions, Croats are in deficit in 13 institutions and are missing a total of 54 compared to the legal percentage they are entitled to – 15.43% according to the 2013 census.

"In 16 institutions, they are represented in accordance with the law, and in 38 institutions, there are 301 more Croats employed than the law prescribes, e.g., in the Indirect Taxation Authority (121 more Croats), in the Ministry of Justice of BiH (37 more Croats), in the Institute for Intellectual Property of BiH (12 more Croats), in the General Secretariat of the Council of Ministers of BiH (8 more Croats), etc. When all of the above is added and subtracted, there are 247 more Croats in these 67 institutions.

At the same time, Bosniaks are in deficit in as many as 62 institutions and are missing a total of 664. The situation is even worse in higher-ranking positions – which are leadership and better-paid", stated Mehmedović.

When it comes to police agencies, Croats are in deficit in 4 out of a total of 7 police bodies and are missing 37, but at the same time, there are 126 more Croats employed in the Border Police than the law prescribes, and 12 more in the Agency for Education and Training of Police Officers.

Mehmedović notes that Croats did not dispute the 2013 population census in BiH (published in the 'Official Gazette of BiH', number 60/16, and recognized by EUROSTAT) when the High Representative Christian Schmidt, amending the Constitution of the Federation of BiH on election day, October 2, 2022, used precisely that 2013 census to elect delegates to the House of Peoples.

"These are the amendments that are catastrophically at the expense of only one nation – Bosniak – thanks to which one vote of a voter who declares as a Croat is worth more than four Bosniak votes".

He also stated that HDZ has taken control of federal institutions that manage the largest budgets (Roads of Federation of BiH, Motorways of Federation of BiH, Environmental Protection Fund, Health Insurance and Reinsurance Institute, etc.), while Bosniaks contribute more than 80% of the funds to the federal budget.