European Forum

Coalition formed in the Federation of BiH; main Croat parties left out

Five months after the general elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) a government has been formed on 17 March in the Federation of BiH (FBiH), the Muslim-Croat entity.

The government consists of ministers of the two largest parties in the entity, the Social Democratic Party (SDP) ― which did best at the elections ― and the Party of Democratic Action (SDA), as well as two smaller Croat parties; Croatian Party of Rights (HSP) and the Prosperity Through Work party (NSRzB). Nermin Niksić of the SDP has been named the FBiH prime minister. The cabinet will have 16 members, seven ministers from the SDP, five from the SDA and two from both the HSP and the NSRzB. The entity’s parliament also approved the appointment of Živko Budimir from the HSP as new FBiH president.

Niksić said that the government will not rule, but serve its people. SDP leader Zlatko Lagumdžija said that this is a new period for FBiH, during which the Federation will try to become the better entity.

Main Croat parties left aside
The two largest Croat parties, Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) and its split off HDZ 1990, denounce the newly formed government as illegal and say they will not obey it. HDZ President Dragan Čović said that the government formation represents a gross violation of the Constitution of the Federation, adding that Croatian municipalities and cantons would not acknowledge the new "illegally and unconstitutionally established authorities" of the Federation. “The current crisis will result in new elections and in constitutional reform that will ensure the equality of Croats,” Čović said. In a reaction Croatian Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor, said that the Croatian government wants to respect the BiH political will of all three of the people expressed in elections. She emphasized that there cannot be interference in the internal affairs of neighbouring states in any way. Experts and politicians warned that the crisis was not over in the Federation.

Meanwhile, about 3,000 Croat citizens, mainly students, protested in the city of Mostar and in other Federation cantons with a Croat majority. The demonstrators carried banners reading: "It is over now!", "Bosnia is our homeland", "Committed to equality".

HDZ and HDZ 1990 refused last offer
At a meeting at the Office of High Representative (OHR) on 16 March HDZ and HDZ 1990 rejected the proposal to get 11 out of 13 Croat positions in the FBiH parliament. It is argued by these parties that all Croat seats should go to ‘real’ Croat parties. They consider SDP as a Bosniak party. SDP considers itself a multi-ethnic party, which is also reflected in its party structures and, to a certain extent, in its electorate.

The formation of the FBiH government has paved the way for the formation of a government at state level. This will be a difficult task as it is unlikely to have a coalition without HDZ or without SDP on this level.

Source: BIRN, SETimes, Sarajevo-x.com, website SDP and website HDZ