HNK Government still on hold, SDP against NES entry, SDA sets demand for partners

(Patria) - The session of the HNK Assembly, where the new Government of this canton was supposed to be confirmed after the 2014 elections, has been cancelled. At the last minute, there was a change in political agreements, and the SDP of HNK blames the SDA for this.

"Given the months-long efforts we have invested as a responsible political party in establishing the HNK Government, we are disappointed by the violation of the agreed-upon Agreement based on which an extraordinary session of the HNK Assembly was convened on Friday. The Agreement adopted by the party bodies of SDP, HDZ BiH, and SDA stipulated that these three parties would participate in the HNK Government. Therefore, we were unpleasantly surprised on Sunday evening by SDA's request for NES to also be represented in the HNK Government," stated the SDP HNK.

They say that the agreed-upon agreement stipulated that the name of one minister would be agreed upon exclusively by SDA and SDP, so SDA's request to offer that portfolio to NES is unacceptable to them.

"We entered these negotiations with sincere intentions, to reach an agreement on programmatic principles, regardless of personal animosities, which would enable the citizens of our canton, after eight years of a technical government, to finally have a government that reflects the legitimate parliamentary majority.

NES HNK does not fit into the programmatic goals we proclaimed in the agreement, and especially not into the concept of the rule of law and the fight against corruption that we have been advocating for all along. In addition, they are a completely superfluous political entity in the new parliamentary majority, given that even without NES, there is a qualified majority of 21 deputies willing to support the new government.

SDP BiH remains consistent with the programmatic principles and the agreement we have harmonized with SDA and HDZ BiH, in the interest of the citizens of our canton and the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina," the SDP HNK announced.

NES President Nermin Ogrešević announced on Saturday that he expects principled action from SDA and for NES to participate in the HNK Government.

NES has one deputy in the HNK Assembly, HDZ BiH has 11, SDA has 7, and SDP has three. 20 votes are needed to confirm the HNK Government. HDZ BiH received the position of Prime Minister and five portfolios, while SDP and SDA received six ministries.