Respect for the constitutional equality of constituent peoples and the Constitution of BiH will remain central to the political activities of SNSD and HDZ BiH, the parties that their leaders describe as the election winners among Serb and Croat voters.
SNSD President Milorad Dodik and HDZ BiH President Dragan Čović reaffirmed these principles during a meeting in Banja Luka, where they discussed the formation of government at the BiH level.
The two leaders agreed that the first step should be the constitution of the BiH Presidency, which, according to their plans, will include SNSD’s Željka Cvijanović and HDZ BiH’s Darijana Filipović.
Both leaders emphasized their commitment to preserving peace and stability in BiH and continuing the country’s European integration process, while maintaining the sovereignty and constitutional arrangements established under the Constitution.
Following the meeting, representatives of the two parties stressed that SNSD and HDZ BiH are indispensable political actors with what they described as a clear democratic mandate from voters.
“We need to establish a normal system of work within the Presidency, rather than continuing the practices we have seen until now. For some, the most important issue during the election campaign was whether the balance would remain two against one,” Dodik said.
“Dragan and I, I believe, share the same position. We do not need that kind of politics. We need decisions, decisions that primarily respect the equality of constituent peoples and the Constitution of BiH,” he added.
Čović emphasized that HDZ BiH and SNSD remain strong political partners.
He said HDZ BiH had received overwhelming support among Croat voters, bringing additional political responsibility. He also reiterated that amendments to the Election Law remain among his party’s priorities.
“There are three key issues we have emphasized: internal peace and stability in BiH, respect for the Constitution and the constitutional equality of the three constituent peoples, and our European path, which we want to continue pursuing in accordance with the needs and interests of the people of BiH,” Čović said.
Dodik: We have the right to choose our political partners
Dodik stressed that political actors who, in his view, had acted against the interests of Republika Srpska would not be welcome in a future governing coalition.
“We do not want to choose representatives for the Bosniaks. The Bosniak people have elected those they wanted to elect. However, we also have the right to choose our partners and clearly state with whom we can cooperate and with whom we cannot,” Dodik said.
Both leaders agreed that respect for the Constitution and the equality of constituent peoples must remain the foundation of any future coalition agreement.
“Gentlemen, read the Constitution of BiH, and then let us sit down and talk. We are not saying that the Court and Prosecutor’s Office must be abolished, but their powers must be reduced. Otherwise, we will not be able to move forward,” Dodik said.
He argued that the Constitution clearly establishes the Parliamentary Assembly of BiH as the institution responsible for adopting legislation.
“If the Constitution says that laws in BiH are adopted by the Parliamentary Assembly, then that is final. No other institution can assume that authority. Anyone acting outside that framework is undermining the constitutional order, not Milorad Dodik,” he stated.
Čović expressed agreement with this position.
“We have said this hundreds of times. All legislative matters must remain within the Parliamentary Assembly of BiH. No one else has that authority. Having received the trust of citizens, we must carry out our responsibilities and make the decisions that belong to the legislative branch of government,” Čović said.
Dodik calls for unified action by Republika Srpska representatives
Dodik, whose SNSD he described as the clear winner of the elections in Republika Srpska, said he expected the new Republika Srpska government to be formed by the end of November.
He also invited opposition representatives to discuss the possibility of coordinated political action at the BiH level.
“We have ten representatives in the House of Representatives, and I believe we may have even more, but ten are certain. We also expect to have four delegates in the House of Peoples, and possibly a fifth,” Dodik said.
He publicly invited opposition parties in Republika Srpska to a meeting to discuss cooperation.
“I propose that we reach an agreement with the opposition in Republika Srpska, if they are willing. I publicly invite them to a meeting, and they can decide whether they want to participate. I believe our responsibility goes beyond any personal vanity,” Dodik emphasized.
The SNSD and HDZ BiH delegations agreed that their next meeting, which will continue discussions on forming the government at the BiH level, will take place in Mostar.
Source: RTRS
