The election of the Croat representative to succeed Dragan Covic, who has recently been dismissed from the presidency by High Representative Paddy Ashdown after a white-collar crime indictment was issued against him, was not today discussed by MPs as none of parliamentary parties nominated their candidate for that post.
The Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ BiH), the strongest Bosnian Croat party whose candidate would stand the best chances of being elected, earlier refused to nominate its candidate until the parliament held a debate on whether Covic's dismissal was in line with law. However, the HDZ-moved proposal for such a discussion was turned down by other parliamentary parties.
The chairman of the HDZ BiH parliamentary club, Vinko Zoric, told reporters after today's sitting that the election of the new Croat member of the Bosnian three-man presidency could be carried out at the next session of the parliament, no matter what the party leadership might think of that move.
Zoric added that the HDZ BiH club was willing to nominate Covic's successor "without or with a prior discussion in the parliament" on reasons for Covic's replacement.
The Bosnian Parliament is to hold a news session in about ten days.
Local media reported today that the HDZ BiH leadership became divided after Covic personally insisted that a discussion be held on his dismissal, thus halting the election of the new Croat member in the country's presidency.