The Centers for Civic Initiatives (CCI) point to a violation of the Rules of Procedure of the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton (HNC) Assembly by the Speaker and his deputies. At the beginning of May, one-third of HNC Assembly members requested that the Assembly leadership schedule a thematic session in June 2024 to discuss the Programs of Measures for eliminating identified irregularities and the status of recommendations in audited institutions. Since more than two months have passed since the initiative was submitted and the session has still not been scheduled, the Rules of Procedure of the Assembly have been violated.
Article 49 of the Rules of Procedure of the HNC Assembly stipulates that the Speaker is obliged to convene a session of the Assembly if requested by one-third of Assembly members, the Assembly Collegium, or both Deputy Speakers together. If the Speaker does not convene a session within seven days from the day the request is submitted by the Assembly Collegium, Deputy Speakers, or one-third of Assembly members, then the Deputy Speakers may convene the session themselves—which they have also failed to do.
It is unacceptable for the HNC Assembly leadership to violate the Rules of Procedure, particularly given that this concerns an extremely important parliamentary initiative aimed at establishing oversight of the process of eliminating irregularities and weaknesses in the work of cantonal institutions. The MPs’ initiative referred to the 2022 audit reports for the University Clinical Hospital Mostar, the HNC Ministry of Finance, and the HNC Health Insurance Institute. However, this year audit reports for the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton itself and the Cantonal Hospital “Dr. Safet Mujić” Mostar will also be published. This is particularly significant considering that these institutions manage public funds and are of crucial importance for the citizens of this canton. Implementing audit recommendations helps institutions address weaknesses and irregularities, contributing to more responsible public spending and higher quality services for citizens.
The importance of the HNC Assembly taking on a greater oversight role in monitoring the implementation of audit recommendations is confirmed by the fact that a large number of recommendations are repeated year after year. For 2022, the total percentage of repeated recommendations is 43%, which shows that institutions continue to operate with unresolved irregularities.
For all these reasons, we call on the authorities in HNC to put an end to the violation of the Assembly Rules of Procedure, which represent the foundation of parliamentary institutions and a stable, functional democratic system. It is unacceptable that the leadership of the HNC Assembly treats the Rules of Procedure and parliamentary initiatives—which aim to protect public funds and improve the quality of life for citizens—with such disregard. It is vital to react promptly with measures that are essential for preserving public trust in the parliamentary process and upholding democratic principles.