Constitutional Court of BiH to decide on Vukoja's dismissal by end of March, after Thompson's concert alongside HDZ members and Grlić Radman at Ljubuški Day commemoration

(Patria) - While the procedure for electing two new judges to the Constitutional Court of BiH is underway, as Mirsad Ćeman and Valerija Galić are retiring, the current composition of the Constitutional Court of BiH will discuss initiatives for the dismissal of judge Marin Vukoja by the end of March.

This information was confirmed for the portal !Odgovor.

Namely, a photograph of Marin Vukoja attending the concert of the controversial Marko Perković Thompson in Široki Brijeg on February 13th caused numerous reactions. Photographs of the audience from Široki Brijeg were published on Thompson's official profile, and Patria was the first BiH media outlet to publish that photograph.

The glorification of the Ustasha regime and Nazi gestures, such as the audience's raised hands, were condemned by international missions in BiH. However, none of the reactions mentioned the reputation of Constitutional Court judge Vukoja.

Vukoja was elected to the Constitutional Court of BiH with the votes of the HDZ and other Croatian parties, the Trojka (SDP, NIP, Naša stranka), and satellite deputies in May 2024. His name was the only one that reached the House of Representatives of the FBiH Parliament.

Vukoja has not commented on his presence at the concert, but he has continued with other public activities. On February 16th, he attended a formal session of the Ljubuški City Council together with the entire leadership and officials of HDZ BiH. The guest of honor was the Croatian Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, Gordan Grlić Radman. Marin Vukoja was seated right behind him, in the company of the Secretary-General of the Council of Ministers of BiH, Robert Vidović.

The Constitutional Court stated that, upon the order of President Mirsad Ćeman, an Information was prepared for the judges of the Constitutional Court of BiH, which includes currently available information and initiatives or proposals related to this event.

"The Information has been delivered to all judges, and the Constitutional Court will issue a statement on it at one of the upcoming Plenary Sessions, no later than the Plenary Session scheduled for March 26/27, 2026, about which the public will be informed," the Constitutional Court of BiH told !Odgovor.

Numerous analysts believe that Vukoja has damaged the reputation of the Constitutional Court of BiH by attending the concert of a singer who divides public opinion in both Croatia and BiH.

The decision on his potential dismissal rests with the Constitutional Court of BiH itself, i.e., the other judges of that court, and not with the FBiH Parliament that appointed him or the executive branch.

According to the BiH Constitution and the Rules of the Constitutional Court, the Constitutional Court of BiH, or its president, can independently initiate dismissal proceedings against a judge of the Constitutional Court in case of damage to the institution's reputation.

Article VI/1.b) of the BiH Constitution states that judges shall be "prominent jurists of high moral standing," and Article VI/1.c) states that a judge may be dismissed for cause "by consensus of the other judges".

In the current balance of power, with Valerija Galić sitting on the Constitutional Court of BiH, it is difficult to expect a consensus on the dismissal of Marin Vukoja.

All eyes are now on the current election of two judges to the Constitutional Court of BiH, and the Working Group is expected to complete the entire procedure by May, when the list will go to the House of Representatives of the FBiH Parliament.