Vjekoslav Bevanda, nominated by the HDZ BiH as Bosnia and Herzegovina's Prime Minister Designate, has said he expects the Council of Ministers to be formed in January and that the priorities are the country's economic recovery and the continuation of reforms required for drawing closer to the European Union.
Asked by the Sarajevo-based daily Dnevni Avaz when he expected to step into office, Bevanda said in Friday's issue the PM designate would most likely be appointed in fast-track procedure and that he expected to step into office certainly before February.
The HDZ BiH forwarded Bevanda's nomination to the state Presidency yesterday, a day after the leaders of the six main political parties agreed on it.
The Presidency forwarded the nomination to the State Election Commission and the State Investigation and Protection Agency to check if the nominee is suitable for the office of prime minister, namely if he has been banned from political activity, his role in the 1992-95 war, and the security aspect. The vetting lasts at least eight days.
If the Commission and the Agency approve Bevanda's nomination, the Presidency appoints him PM designate, after which the parliamentary lower house has 30 days at the most to approve or reject the appointment.
If approved by the lower house, the PM designate nominates the ministers, who also have to be approved by the lower house.
In the interview, Bevanda said one did not have to be a big expert to clearly determine what Bosnia urgently needed.
"If I get this job, I'll do my best to do it well, so we can achieve synergy in the Council of Ministers and in the whole state, so that the whole country can move on."
Bevanda said there was no choice of whether to tackle the problems in the country or not, as this "simply must be done."
He warned, however, that his hands were already tied to a certain extent, as he could not choose his cabinet. The nomination of the ministers is agreed by the leaders of the parties in power. Bevanda said he did not have a negative opinion of any of the names that were being mentioned.
Local media speculate that apart from Bevanda, the Croat HDZ BiH will also nominate the justice minister and that Barisa Colak will either retain the office or be replaced by Borjana Kristo. The HDZ 1990 is likely to nominate Damir Ljubic for refugees minister.
The Serbs are expected to nominate Nikola Spiric as finance minister. Spiric is the incumbent Council of Ministers chairman. Sredoje Novic of the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats (SNSD) looks set to remain civil affairs minister. The Serb Democratic Party (SDS) will nominate the foreign trade minister, most likely party president Mladen Bosic.
The predominantly Bosniak Social Democratic Party (SDP) will nominate its president Zlatko Lagumdzija as foreign minister as well as Main Committee chairman Damir Hadzic as transport and communications minister.
Sadik Ahmetovic of the Bosniak Party of Democratic Action (SDA) will remain security minister. This party will also nominate the defence minister and the two candidates are incumbent Minister Selmo Cikotic and the incumbent minister for demobbed veterans in the Sarajevo Canton government, Nedzad Ajnadzic.
