Dodik and Covic reaffirm alliance, vow to lead Bosnia's post-election coalition talks

The meeting came just over a week after Bosnia and Herzegovina's general elections, as political parties began negotiations over the formation of governments at state and entity levels.

"We agreed today that we will continue working together, that we are indispensable to each other in forming governments, and that neither of us will enter speculative coalitions that achieve nothing without the other," Dodik said.

Covic echoed the message, saying the two parties would lead political negotiations across Bosnia and Herzegovina.

"We remain strong partners," he said, adding that their cooperation would continue at both state and lower levels of government.

Who will join the coalition?

Both leaders said they were prepared to negotiate with representatives of Bosniak political parties, although Dodik made clear that SNSD would exercise its right to reject potential partners.

He singled out the Democratic Front (DF), saying its political positions had effectively disqualified it from consideration.

Regarding the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Dodik said its possible participation remained uncertain.

"We will see. It does not depend solely on them whether they enter government," he said.

Covic said a third partner would be invited to discuss the formation of the state-level executive once political conditions allowed.

Electoral reform and constitutional disputes

Covic identified three priorities: domestic peace and stability, constitutional equality of Bosnia's three constituent peoples, and progress towards European Union membership.

He also renewed demands for changes to the country's Election Law, arguing that members of one constituent people should not be able to determine another group's representatives in the Presidency or houses of peoples.

Dodik, meanwhile, called for a review of decisions imposed by international High Representatives that had not subsequently received parliamentary approval.

He also advocated legislation governing the Constitutional Court and changes to the powers of the state-level Court and Prosecutor's Office.

"We are not saying the Court and Prosecutor's Office must be abolished, but their powers must be reduced," Dodik said.

New government could take months

Covic suggested that the newly elected Presidency could be constituted around mid-November, while the formation of the houses of peoples could take several months.

He also called for early preparations for the state budget and appointments within Bosnia's diplomatic network and Central Bank.

Dodik said SNSD did not oppose EU integration but rejected what he described as the misuse of the European path.

"We are not against the European path, but we are against its abuse," he said.

Both leaders presented constitutional arrangements as the basis for future negotiations, with Dodik concluding that Bosnia and Herzegovina could survive only through adherence to the country's Constitution.