Since, earlier this month, Republic of Srpska National Assembly adopted a decision to hold a referendum on the work of state Court and Prosecution office, with discussion about the legality of it among politicians and international community representatives growing.
RS president, Milorad Dodik, said on Tuesday that there is no doubt that the referendum would be held and emphasized that it represents a fight against legal violence of High representative in BiH and the fight for the affirmation of the Dayton Peace Agreement.
“I have no dilemma about this question, despite the efforts of part of the international community representatives to stop the referendum. I am not afraid. I know what I am doing. But, we must put ourselves in the position of defence through referendum because, if we don’t do that, RS will be an empty tourist attraction in a few years, said Dodik to media in Banja Luka after meeting with ambassador of Russian Federation in BiH”, Peter Ivancov.
Dodik added that the goal of the referendum is to point out the “unsustainability of the judiciary system like it is now”, adding that he believes a referendum will take a place in the near future.
After the meeting, Ivancov told the media that his country will continue to support the decisions of RS that are in accordance with Dayton Peace Agreement. He also said that RS has the right to find solutions that it consider as the best for it.
“I hope that the final decision will be taken jointly and that this issue will be solved through dialog, Ivancov said.
At the same time, while Dodik and Ivancov were having the meeting, just few a hundreds meters away Bosniak representatives in RS National Assembly Council of Peoples concluded that they have sufficient legal basis to challenge the Law on referendum in RS, which was adopted in 2010.
“We will use all legal mechanisms to deny the law and the referendum decision and I have no doubt that we will succeed”, said to media president of Bosniak Caucus, Mujo Hadziomerovic.
He recalls that BiH Court and Prosecution office are judicial institutions which are constitutionally certified by the Constitutional court of BiH.
RS NA adopted the decision on a referendum at the session on July 15, on the demand of RS President Dodik. In favour of the decision voted 45 MPs, 31 was abstained and Bosniak MPs left the room before voting as a sign of protest.
Source: http://www.balkaneu.com/pro-contra-referendum-bih/
