HDZ BiH leader Dragan Čović said on Monday that this party wants to prevent the practice of overvoting Croats with the proposed amendments to the Election Law, and that in the current circumstances of the crisis in the country, it is not realistic to amend the Constitution in order to eliminate discrimination against minority peoples.
An extraordinary session of the House of Peoples of the Parliament of Bosnia and Herzegovina is scheduled for Wednesday in Sarajevo, at which the HDZ BiH submitted proposals for amendments to the Election Law, and two laws on the Court of BiH and the High Judicial Prosecutorial Council, which represent a condition for approving the opening of negotiations with the European Union.
Čović was asked in Brčko why his party only proposes amendments to the Election Law that refer to the over-voting of Croats, but not the implementation of the judgments of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) which found discrimination against citizens. He replied that in the current circumstances of the crisis, it is difficult to expect an agreement on constitutional reforms.
"It is unlikely that we will make a change to the Constitution in this kind of political environment," said Čović.
In order to comply with the judgments of the ECtHR, it is necessary to amend the Constitution of BiH, which is an integral part of the peace agreement from Dayton. Until now, the Constitution of Bosnia and Herzegovina has never been changed, and for that it is necessary to secure two-thirds support. Considering the crisis that escalated after the verdict against the leader of Republika Srpska, Milorad Dodik, state institutions are barely functioning.
Čović points out that in such circumstances, Croats want to "protect themselves so that they have legitimate representatives at the level of Bosnia and Herzegovina."
On four occasions, Bosniak votes elected Željko Komšić as the Croat member of the BiH Presidency. The attempt by the HDZ BiH to discuss amendments to the Election Law through the upper, nationally-conceived House of Peoples of the BiH Parliament was boycotted by Bosniak parties on two occasions.
These parties insist on the implementation of the judgments of the European Court of Human Rights.
Photo: HINA/FENA/ Amer Kajmović
