ŠPIRIĆ LEAVES SESSION - SNSD DOES NOT WANT TO PARTICIPATE IN BLOCKADES AND ACCUSATIONS

SARAJEVO, FEBRUARY 17 /SRNA/ – The Deputy Chair of the House of Peoples of the BiH Parliamentary Assembly Nikola Špirić left the urgent session of the House of Peoples and stated that the SNSD does not want to participate in blackmail, accusations, and blockades.

Špirić said it was requested at today's Advisory Board session that the laws on the Court and the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council /HJPC/ be placed as the first items on the agenda, but that there was no agreement on this.

"That speaks about commitment to the European path and European laws," Špirić said, adding that there is no readiness to discuss vital issues, but rather a continuation of a policy of accusations, blackmail, and blockades.

He noted that SNSD is ready for talks and agreements, but that the party is repeatedly subjected to accusations.

"We have recently heard statements, echoed by religious communities, that a functional BiH is desired, one that does not imply constitutiveness, but obedience. Today I say to you – constitutiveness yes, obedience no," Špirić said, adding that he would join the rest of his caucus, which also did not attend the session.

He stated that there has been an attempt to demonize Republika Srpska and persecute its leadership for two years, pointing out that this was attempted at various international addresses.

Špirić said that political clashes within the Bosniak political bloc resulted in a new majority in the House of Representatives with the intent of sending the "bill" to Republika Srpska and its institutions.

"That idea was supposed to be implemented here in the House of Peoples as well, but the Constitution and the Rules of Procedure are a barrier and do not allow it," Špirić explained, noting that BiH is a divided country with two parliamentary majorities - one in the House of Representatives and another in the House of Peoples.

He recalled that at the January 29 session of this House there were a total of 130 agenda items agreed upon at the Advisory Board.

"At the session, we witnessed the dismantling of such an agenda, pushing populist policies," Špirić said, adding that he had stated at the time there was readiness to discuss all laws.

Špirić says that SNSD is being accused of blocking institutions and reminded of a blockade that lasted from March to October 2024, carried out by the Bosniak people caucus because the Law on the Constitutional Court of BiH was on the agenda.

"To this day, that blockade has not been removed. We tried to move things forward, to proceed with what we can secure at least a minimum consensus for," Špirić said.

The Chair of the House of Peoples, Kemal Ademović, called a 15-minute recess.