SARAJEVO, Feb 7 (Hina) - The House of Representatives of Bosnia-Herzegovina's parliament on Wednesday refused the candidacy of Martin Raguz (Croatian Democratic Union or HDZ BiH) for the premier-designate of the state government (the
Council of Ministers of Bosnia-Herzegovina). Of 41 MPs who took part in the vote after a seven-hour long discussion, only six voted for Raguz, 21 representatives were against, while the rest abstained. Prior to the vote, Raguz, whose candidacy was proposed by the HDZ BiH and supported by the country's Presidency, presented to the parliament his programme for the work of the ministerial council in case he was appointed to be at its helm. He said he would advocate the strengthening of Bosnia and its bodies of authority, launch economic reforms, create conditions for refugee returns and implement the Dayton peace accords. Raguz said we was willing to cooperate with all political parti
SARAJEVO, Feb 7 (Hina) - The House of Representatives of Bosnia-
Herzegovina's parliament on Wednesday refused the candidacy of
Martin Raguz (Croatian Democratic Union or HDZ BiH) for the
premier-designate of the state government (the Council of
Ministers of Bosnia-Herzegovina).
Of 41 MPs who took part in the vote after a seven-hour long
discussion, only six voted for Raguz, 21 representatives were
against, while the rest abstained.
Prior to the vote, Raguz, whose candidacy was proposed by the HDZ
BiH and supported by the country's Presidency, presented to the
parliament his programme for the work of the ministerial council in
case he was appointed to be at its helm.
He said he would advocate the strengthening of Bosnia and its bodies
of authority, launch economic reforms, create conditions for
refugee returns and implement the Dayton peace accords.
Raguz said we was willing to cooperate with all political parties,
viewing such cooperation as a condition for the Council's efficient
work.
Representatives of ten political parties which make up the
"Alliance For Changes" coalition, described his programme as vague
and too general.
Zlatko Lagumdzija, the president of the strongest party in the
Alliance - Social Democratic Party (SDP) - commented that such
programme was good only to those who wanted to see the continuation
of the policy which had so far been conducted in the country and the
tragic results of which were very much visible.
It became completely obvious that Raguz could not become a premier
designate when 21 representatives of the (Moslem) Party of
Democratic Action (SDA), whose member in the Bosnian collective
presidency supported Raguz's candidacy, decided to abstain from
the vote.
After that, the SDP again requested that its representative,
Bozidar Matic, be proposed for the premier-designate.
It is the duty of the three-man Presidency to propose candidates for
that post.
Ante Jelavic of the HDZ and the Croat member in the Presidency, who
attended the parliamentary session, said he would not give consent
for the Alliance's candidate.
Bosnia's Constitution does not envisage any restriction for the
process of the Presidency's proposals for the Council of Ministers
head, and thus the Presidency can prolong the entire procedure. In
such a case Bosnia is likely to face a constitutional crisis, which
the international High Representative Wolfgang Petritsch will have
to resolve.
(hina) ms