Unclear whether Bosnian Presidency voted against recognition of Kosovo

Predsjedništvo BiH

Bosnia's tripartite Presidency failed to even agree on whether they voted on the recognition of Kosovo or not during the Thursday session after the Croat member tried to withdraw that item from the agenda, but the Serb member still decided to vote on it.

Following the Presidency session, Bosniak Presidency member Sefik Dzaferovic said that the item was not even on the agenda and that Kosovo will not be recognized until this institution reaches a consensus on the matter.

“I didn't include the item on today's agenda because it's absolutely clear that Kosovo won't be recognised until we reach a consensus. It is evident that Bosnia will not pass that decision. Mr Milorad Dodik (Bosnian Serb member of the Presidency) insisted that we include that item but Zeljko Komsic (the Croat member who proposed the item) asked that it be withdrawn, but Dodik asked that we vote on it. In the end, Dodik voted against the recognition of Kosovo and Komsic and I didn't even vote,” Dzaferovic said.

When asked how was that even possible, he added:

“I repeat, as Chairman, I did not include that item on the agenda. It was included in the extraordinary session. Then Mr Dodik insisted we include it in the regular procedure and Komsic said that we should withdraw it, so we decided to include it after all, but when we were about to vote, Komsic asked to withdraw that item. That's when Dodik voted against the recognition and Komsic and I didn't want to vote because there was nothing to vote on.”

Moments later, Bosnian Serb leader and Serb Presidency member Milorad Dodik came out and said the decision is final – Bosnia voted against the recognition of Kosovo as an independent country.

“After Komsic attempted to withdraw that item from the agenda which was impossible at that time because it wasn't in the form of a proposition but in the form of in which the Presidency was set to pass a vote. We had to vote because it was earlier decided to include it,” Dodik said and added:

“This formally means that Bosnia did not recognise Kosovo, by the decision of its Presidency – meaning it rejected to recognise it. This is a formal and legal fact which will be binding for the future actions of all state institutions.”

Dodik expressed gratitude to Komsic on behalf of all the Bosnian Serbs, saying they have finally made it – they finally got to have Bosnia's formal position on the matter.

Zeljko Komsic's cabinet, however, firmly denied Dodik's claims.

“There's no such decision. If there is, let Dodik show it. He won't show it because it doesn't exist,” his Cabinet told N1.

With three different interpretations, it is now up to legal experts to determine Bosnia's official position of Kosovo, and whether the Presidency voted or not.