The history of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina begins in 1974, when the Constitution of the then Socialist Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, in the framework of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, established a new institution in the socio-political system. At that time, the Presidency consisted of 9 Members, but after the first multiparty elections in December 1990, it had 7 Members - two Bosniac, two Serb, two Croat, and one Member representing the rest of the peoples.
The Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, according to the current Constitution, is defined as the highest state institution. The function of collective Head of State is equally carried out by three Members from the constitutive people of Bosnia and Herzegovina: the Bosniac, Serb, and Croat people. Constitutional jurisdictions of the Presidency are defined by Article 5 of the Constitution, which represents a special Annex to the General Framework Agreement for peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which was initialed in Dayton on 21 November 1995 and officially signed in Paris on 14 December 1995.
The first convening of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina was elected in September 1996 during the first postwar elections. It was directly elected from the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (Bosniac and Croat Member) and from Republika Srpska (Serb Member). Alija Izetbegovic was elected as the Bosniac Member of the Presidency, Momcilo Krajisnik as the Serb Member of the Presidency, and Kresimir Zubak as the Croat Member of the Presidency. This session of the Presidency carried out its duties until October 1998, when election results from that same year were implemented and when the second session of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina was constituted.
The second convening of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina was constituted in October 1998. In general elections that same year, elected to the Presidency were: Alija Izetbegovic as the Bosniac Member of the Presidency, Zivko Radisic as the Serb Member of the Presidency and Ante Jelavic as the Croat Member of the Presidency. In October 2000, in a personal decision, Alija Izetbegovic resigned from office. The Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina appointed Halid Genjc to replace him on a temporary basis, in accordance with the Law on filling a vacancy left by a Member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina. In March 2001, the High Representative, in a personal decision, removed from office the Member of the Presidency Ante Jelavic.
From the end of March 2001, in accordance with the Law on filling a vacancy left by a Member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Parliamentary Assembly appointed Beriz Belkic as the Bosniac Member of the Presidency and Jozo Krizanovic as the Croat Member of the Presidency. Zivko Radisic remained in office as the Serb Member of the Presidency.
Following general elections in October 2002, the third convening of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina was elected, consisting of: Mirko Sarovic, the Serb Member of the Presidency, Dragan Covic, the Croat Member of the Presidency, and Sulejman Tihic, the Bosniac Member of the Presidency. At the constitutive meeting, Mirko Sarovic was chosen as the first Chair of the new session. After he resigned from office in April 2003, Mirko Sarovic was replaced by Borislav Paravac as the Serb Member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
In March 2005, Paddy Ashdown, the High Representative for B-H, dismissed Dr Dragan Covic from a position of the B-H Presidency Member from the Croatian people.
After the decision of Paddy Ashdown, the High Representative for B-H on dismissal of Dr Dragan Covic, the B-H Parliamentary Assembly has reached a decision on electing Ivo Miro Jovic for a member of the Presidency from the Croatian people based on the Law on filling vacant position of member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
After the general elections in October 2006, the fourth convocation of the BiH Presidency has been elected, composed of: Nebojsa Radmanovic, the BiH Presidency Member from the Republic of Srpska, Zeljko Komsic, the BiH Presidency Member from the Croatian People and Dr Haris Silajdzic, the BiH Presidency Member from the Bosniac people.
At the constitutional session of the BiH Presidency, held on November 6, 2006, Nebojsa Radmanovic has been first elected Chairman of the BiH Presidency.
After general elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina held in October 2010, fifth BiH Presidency was convoked. It now consists of Nebojša Radmanović, BiH Presidency Member from Republika Srpska, Željko Komšić, Croat Member of BiH Presidency and Bakir Izetbegović, Bosniak Member of BiH Presidency.
On the constitutive session, held on 10 November 2010, Nebojša Radmanović was chosen to be the first Chairman of the BiH Presidency.
Chairs of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Since 1998, in accordance with the Constitution and Rules of Procedure, every eight months the Chair of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina rotates. From 1996 to 1998, Alija Izetbegovic carried out the duties of the Chair of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Alija Izetbegovic ( October 1996. - October 1998. )
Zivko Radisic ( October 1998. - June 1999. )
Ante Jelavic ( June 1999. - February 2000. )
Alija Izetbegovic ( February 2000. - October 2000. )
Zivko Radisic ( October 2000. - June 2001. )
Jozo Krizanovic ( June 2001. - February 2002. )
Beriz Belkic ( February 2002. - October 2002. )
Mirko Sarovic ( October 2002. - April 2003. )
Borislav Paravac ( April 2003. - June 2003. )
Dragan Covic ( June 2003. - February 2004. )
Sulejman Tihic ( March 2004. - October 2004. )
Borislav Paravac ( October 2004. - June 2005. )
Ivo Miro Jovic ( June 2005. - February 2006. )
Sulejman Tihic ( February 2006. - November 2006. )
Nebojsa Radmanovic ( November 2006. - July 2007. )
Zeljko Komsic ( July 2007. - March 2008. )
Haris Silajdzic ( March 2008. - November 2008. )
Nebojsa Radmanovic ( November 2008. - July 2009. )
Zeljko Komsic ( July 2009. - March 2010. )
Haris Silajdzic ( March 2010. - November 2010. )
Nebojša Radmanović ( November 2010. - July 2011. )
Željko Komšić ( July 2011. - March 2012. )
Bakir Izetbegović ( March 2012. - November 2012. )
Nebojša Radmanović ( November 2012. - )