New composition of Bosnian-Croat Federation Government

In favour of the appointment of the new ministers and prime minister of this entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina, 51 representatives voted, two opposed and one abstained.

Similarly, representatives of the Party of Democratic Action (SDA) and the Democratic Front, opposition parties in the House of Representatives of the Bosnian-Croat Federation, abandoned the session.

The entity government has prime minister and 16 ministers who took the solemn oath at the House of Representatives session.

The new composition will include ministers from the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bosnia and Herzegovina's Social Democrat Party (SDP), HDZ 1990, our Party and the People and Justice Party (Narod of Pravda).

The House of Representatives session was held a day after the high representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Christian Schmidt, established changes in the Constitution of the Bosnian-Croat Federation, with the goal of forming the government as soon as possible.

On April 27, Schmidt, among other things, made a temporary decision that applies only to this election cycle. This enabled the formation of the new government, which was not formed for nearly seven months after last year's general elections, due to opposition from the Party of Democratic Action, the main Bosniak party in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The prime minister of the Bosnian-Croat Federation was named Nermin Niksic, chairman of Bosnia and Herzegovina's SDP.

OHR, US Embassy Hail Government Formation

The Office of the High Representative (OHR) welcomed the government's long-awaited “appointment of” in the Bosnian-Croat Federation and “implementing the will of voters expressed in the October elections”.

Through a media communiqué, the OHR has had to address citizens' needs quickly.

This office called on the government to adopt the necessary and urgent <x0reforms so that Bosnia and Herzegovina can move forward on the road to EU membership”.

Each new government, regardless of which party forms the majority, must primarily be dedicated to citizens”. OHR said.

The US Embassy in Bosnia and Herzegovina has congratulated the citizens of this country on forming the new Federation government.

“Now is the time for the ruling coalition to begin governing and implementing vital reforms needed to boost the Federation economy, strengthen rule of law, fight corruption and improve social services”, an embassy's tweet said.

The American Abbasada has added that it hopes the new government will seize the opportunity to offer citizens of the Federation the governance they want and deserve.

Niksic: Banning Bosnia, Government Task

The Bosnian-Croat Federation government's new composition plans presented Nermin Niksic (SDP), who was appointed prime minister of entity.

He stressed that coping with rising inflation is one of the main challenges.

Niksic stressed that Bosnia and Herzegovina's economy is recovering more slowly and harder after the crisis caused by the coronary pandemic. The economy, he said, has also been affected by the situation caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

“Federata must be better with any new government. I believe we will become an example of good political practice”, he said, warning, among other things, the stimulus programme for exporters, the ease of registering new companies, and attracting foreign investors.

Niksic also said that the government would work on ensuring quality health care for the introduction of the so-called social pension category, as well as strengthening institutions for fighting corruption and organised crime.

One of the tasks, according to him, will be the ban on the deportation of people from Bosnia and Herzegovina, because, as he said, “500 thousand people have fled” in the last eight years.

The aim of the measures is to return citizens who left Bosnia and Herzegovina, to the wave of migration in the postwar period. People moved and lost hope. We must show that we can be better”, he stressed.

Schmidt's Decision Disappointing

Prior to voting for the new Bosnian-Croat Federation Government, representatives of the opposition Democratic Front (DF) and then representatives of the Party of Democratic Action (SDA) left the House of Representatives session.

FD representative Mahir Meshaliq, who protested loudly during Niksic's speech, said he would join citizens protesting in front of the Parliament building against the government's appointment.

“This is a brutal attack on constitutional order with the aim of forming an occupational government that will lead the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina to Zagreb”, Meshallic said.

SDA representative Nezir Pivoq praised that efforts are being made to make the government through obligation.

“Democracy was fully suspended. What else can be said, when rules are set after the end of the” race, said Pivik, referring to the decisions of the international community's high representative Christian Schmidt.

Other SDA representatives and other parties that are not part of the new ruling coalition in the Bosnian-Croat Federation Parliament expressed their objections to the high representative's decisions, stressing that their goal is “to protect HDZ's policy”.

Why Was Government Formation Delayed?

The government of the Bosnian-Croat Federation was formed nearly seven months after general elections held in October last year.

The formation was delayed because Lidiya Bradara ( Bosnia and Herzegovina's HDZ, the head of this entity from among the Croatian people, did not have the support for appointment on the part of consent for the two deputy speakers.

The appeal for the appointment of new ministers and prime minister, formerly appointed by deputy leader from the Serb people, Igor Stojanovic (SDP).

The appointment was rejected by Refik Lendo, the Federation's deputy head of the Bosniak people, who insisted that the SDA, as the largest Bosniak party, be part of it.

The SDA is not part of the political coalition, which was formed after the general elections, as Bosnia and Herzegovina's HDZ and parties gathered around the SDP did not want to make a coalition.

On April 27th, the high representative, through the provisional measure, confirmed the appointment decision Bradara had sent and signed Stojanovic, but without Lendo's signature.

Until his decision, the president of the Bosnian-Croat Federation proposed to the House of Representatives a new entity government, and for that he had to take the consent of both vice-presidents.

The previous composition of the Bosnian-Croat Federation Government was appointed in March 2015, following elections held half a year ago. It consisted of the SDA, Bosnia and Herzegovina's HDZ and the Alliance's party for a better future.

After the elections in 2018, due to political disputes and the lack of a clear parliamentary majority, the new entity executive, including the prime minister and deputy prime minister, was not appointed.