Zvizdić ignores the request of five MPs from May 8: Still no discussion on national imbalance in state institutions

(Patria) - Chairman of the House of Representatives of the BiH PA Denis Zvizdić has ignored the request of five MPs from this house (Jasmin Emrić, Elvisa Hodžić, Šemsudin Mehmedović, Aida Baručija and Ermina Salkičević-Dizdarević) who on May 8 requested an urgent session of the House of Representatives of the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina with the agenda item: "Review of data on ethnic representation of employees in Bosnia and Herzegovina institutions - causes and consequences of non-implementation of the Constitution and laws of Bosnia and Herzegovina establishing proportional representation of constituent peoples and Others in Bosnia and Herzegovina institutions".

Although the Rules of Procedure stipulate that sessions are convened within three days, it seems that Zvizdić is following the practice of his colleague from the House of Peoples of the BiH PA, Nikola Špirić, who convenes urgent sessions a month or more after the request is submitted.

In the attachment to their request, these MPs stated that they collected data on the representation of constituent peoples and Others from 71 institutions as of December 20, 2024, while five institutions did not provide the requested data.

BHANSA, which has almost 500 employees, and the Secretariat of the Presidency of BiH did not provide the data.

Out of the 74 analyzed institutions, Bosniaks are in imbalance in 62 institutions, considering the number they are entitled to according to the laws of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The fact that Bosniaks are significantly fewer in higher-ranking positions, which are managerial and better paid, but more numerous in positions of employees with secondary education, which obscures the total number of employees and the actual situation, is particularly concerning.

Given the responses of the institutions regarding national representation, as well as analyzing the data published in the Official Gazette of Bosnia and Herzegovina on internal promotions within Bosnia and Herzegovina institutions in 2023 and 2024, Bosniaks are currently in a greater and more serious imbalance than before. If the obvious trend continues and the problem is left aside, it will soon be impossible to fix anything. The problem must be approached urgently and comprehensively, according to the explanation of the request for an urgent session.

As for employees from the Others category, it is worrying that the number of state and police officials who declare themselves as Others is nowhere near the legally determined number, and that in many institutions there are no employees from the Others category.

In some ministries and institutions, the national structure has changed significantly in the last two years. For example, in the Ministry of Security of BiH, headed by Nenad Nešić until December 2024 when he was arrested, out of 32 people who started employment during that period, 28 are Serbs. A similar situation exists in the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations and the Ministry of Finance and Treasury, headed by SNSD cadres.

In the Ministry of Justice of BiH, led by Davor Bunoza (HDZ), the number of Croats and Bosniaks is almost equal.

However, the national balance is respected in the Central Bank of BiH, where 50 percent are Bosniaks, 31 percent Serbs, 16 percent Croats, and 3 percent Others.

In the Agency for State Service of BiH, headed by HDZ cadre Anita Markić, there are more Croats employed than they are entitled to by law, as well as Serbs, while Bosniaks are the fewest.

In the Ministry of Transport and Communications, headed by Edin Forto, out of six managerial officials, only one is a Bosniak.

Currently, out of 28 positions (27 directors and one secretary-general) appointed by the Council of Ministers of BiH, only six Bosniaks, 12 Serbs, and 10 Croats have been appointed. Although Bosniaks should hold 14 of the 28 positions, Serbs nine, and Croats four, with one from the Others category.

Out of a total of 4,081 employees in 28 institutions, Bosniaks manage institutions with 339 employees, or 8%. Serbs and Croats manage institutions with 3,742 employees, or 92%. The budget of these 28 institutions for 2024 amounted to 330 million KM. Bosniaks manage six institutions with a budget of 51 million KM, while Serbs and Croats manage 22 institutions with a budget of 279 million KM.

In 13 state institutions headquartered in the BiH entity Republika Srpska, out of a total of 3,045 employees, only 1,165 are of Bosniak nationality. Bosniaks are fewer in 361 positions, while Serbs are more numerous in 296 positions, and Croats in 109, and a certain number of employees from the Others category are also missing.

A particular problem are the police agencies that are staffed according to the 1991 Census, which should be changed considering that we have a valid 2013 Census.

In the explanation, the MPs requested that a moratorium on employment and appointments in institutions be introduced in order to determine the status of national representation and proceed with respecting the Constitution of BiH and the laws on proportional representation.

It was requested that the session be attended by: Borjana Krišto, Chairwoman of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina, all ministers in the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Anita Markić, Director of the Agency for State Service of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Robert Vidović, Secretary-General of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Josip Merdžo, Director of the Institute for Intellectual Property of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Zoran Tegeltija, Director of the Indirect Taxation Authority of BiH, Draško Milinović, Director of the Communications Regulatory Agency of BiH, Siniša Perković, Director of the Prison, Detention and Other Measures Execution Service of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Zoran Đerić, Secretary-General of the Presidency of BiH, Mirko Kuprešaković, Director of the Border Police of BiH, Emir Mehmedović, Chief Administrative Inspector of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

It is up to Zvizdić as chairman and the Collegium of the House of Representatives of the BiH PA to act on this request and convene the session of the House of Representatives of the BiH PA as soon as possible. Any delay in discussing this important topic will show that representatives from the Bosniak people are not ready to fight for the rights that belong to Bosniaks according to the Constitution of BiH.