A coalition agreement for the formation of Bosnia’s state-level government was officially signed by the leader of the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats (SNSD), Milorad Dodik, the leader of the Croat Democratic Union (HDZ BiH), Dragan Covic, and the leader of the Social Democratic Party (SDP BiH), Nermin Niksic, on behalf of the coalition of the “Eight”.

The “Eight” consists of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Party for BiH (SBiH), BiH Initiative (BHI-FK), People and Justice (NiP), Our Party (NS), For New Generations (ZnG), the Movement for Democratic Action (PDA) and the People’s European Alliance (NES).

Dodik, who is the president of Bosnia’s Republika Srpska (RS) entity, said that it took a lot of effort to reach the agreement.

“A serious effort was made to reach an efficient government formation. Adoption of several documents, development plans, and removing blockades. I think we have chosen a good day when Bosnia and Herzegovina should get candidate status,” he said.

Dodik said that there are disagreements within the new coalition regarding BiH’s path toward NATO membership, but that the parties managed to find common ground and did not waste time on the issue.

“Bosnia and Herzegovina has its own reform plan related to defence and cooperation with NATO,” he said.

“I want to say that the negotiators were persistent in their efforts to secure posts, but also flexible. I think we should mark that a consensus and an agreement for BiH was reached unusually swiftly,” Dodik said.

“After a long time, we made a partnership and put it on paper. Until now, coalitions have been forced. I am convinced that this parliamentary majority will be strong both in the Council of Ministers and in the legislature. We are signing this agreement at the perfect time,” Covic said.

He also said he expects the ruling parties to agree on changes to BiH’s Election Law in accordance with rulings of both European and domestic courts within six months.