BiH political parties to file new government proposal by next week

06/12/2007

SARAJEVO, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) -- The BiH presidency set a deadline Wednesday (December 5th) for political parties to submit their proposals for a prime minister-designate and members of the new Council of Ministers. They have until December 12th. Serb presidency member Nebojsa Radmanovic explained that would allow the tripartite presidency to nominate a new prime minister at its regular session on December 13th, then forward it to parliament for confirmation. Interim Prime Minister Nikola Spiric is expected to receive another term, after resigning on November 1st to protest new measures proposed by High Representative Miroslav Lajcak. Bosnian Serb politicians reversed course and accepted the changes last week.

In other news Wednesday, US Assistant Secretary of State Daniel Fried visited Sarajevo and praised this week's initialling of a Stabilisation and Association Agreement between BiH and the EU, urging leaders to proceed with constitutional reform talks and defence reforms. He also said that it is entirely up to them whether the Kosovo crisis spills over into BiH. (Dnevni Avaz - 06/12/07; Fena, NTV Hayat, Nezavisne Novine, BHRT, RTRS, SRNA - 05/12/07)