After a long process of negotiations, parties in the Federation finally formed a new ruling coalition on Friday. The new bloc, led by the SDA and HDZ and including the Bosnia and Herzegovina Patriotic Party (BPS), the Party for Bosnia and Herzegovina (SZBiH), and the Party of Democratic Activity (A-SDA), passed a major test on Monday when it passed a controversial new labor law by one vote. The law, which is an important element of EU-mandated reforms, is fiercely opposed by labor unions.
After the adoption, Federation Prime Minister Fadil Novalic told media that the new ruling coalition “showed courage” by passing this crucial reform.
“With this, we have on one hand, in a certain way, opened doors to employers and freed them of fears about employing [people], while on the other hand we have opened the doors to European integration,” Novalic said.
But the DF, as well as another civic-oriented party, the Social Democratic Party, SDP, accused the new ruling coalition of betraying workers’ rights in order to get new financial support from the IMF.
