Peoples European Alliance (NES) and the Party for BiH (SBiH) will not be part of Bosnia’s state majority, NES leader Nermin Ogresevic told the journalists on Thursday following the meeting between the leaders of the so-called “Eight” and the leader of the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats (SNSD) Milorad Dodik.  

“There was no room for the SNSD and the Troika (Social Democratic Party – SDP, People and Justice – NIP, Our Party – NS) to agree on some solutions since it was believed that the agreement had been signed. We raised the issue of the Law on State Property adopted in the Republika Srpska (RS9 entity parliament and the possibility of its withdrawal. We thought that we should have four ministries in the government. There’s also the issue of the ethnic balance in management positions at state-level agencies and institutions”, said Ogresevic. 

He added that he only sees the will to sign an agreement between the Islamic Community and Bosnia and Herzegovina. The NES leader pointed out that one crucial issue is ” the Bosnian language in schools and other institutions.” 

Osmorka se smanjila na šestorku, NES i Stranka za BiH odustali od vlasti na nivou BiH, Ogrešević saopštio nakon sastanka sa SNSD u Doboju

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When asked how this decision will affect the “Eight” at the FBiH level and below, Ogresevic answered by saying that the “Eight” is now the “Six” at least when the state level is concerned and as for the Federation (FBiH) entity level, he said, “we’ll see.”

  Semir Efendic, the leader of the SBiH, repeated most of what Ogresevic said, adding: “I'm sorry that my colleagues from the “Eight” didn't insist a little more that this situation be improved a bit, not with words but with deeds.” 

He stated that theoretically, the majority exists without them, but all representatives of other parties must attend all sessions. 

 Dodik not giving up the state property and the unconstitutional RS Day

“An issue such as the property is resolved through political dialogue. We have not promised to give it up, and neither will they, but it’s a matter of procedure. We believe that the issue was settled by Dayton Peace Agreement and that it was artificially imposed by the High Representative. This is not a problem related to the formation of the BiH Council of Ministers. If someone wants to make it a problem – then okay,” Dodik said. 

He also touched on the celebration of the unconstitutional Day of the RS. 

“If January 9 is a problem, then March 1 (Bosnia’s Independence Day) is also a problem for us. Do you think that when we made the government formation guidelines we’d gave it (the celebration) up? It doesn't say that anywhere! These are topics that live and remain, but we also have others that need to be finished. This is not a matter of winning or defeating anyone, this is an attempt to create cooperation,” he concluded.