SRPSKA HAS THE RIGHT TO ITS OWN BORDER POLICE

SARAJEVO, MARCH 17 /SRNA/ - Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ministers Staša Košarac said today that Republika Srpska has the right to its own border police, as guaranteed by the Dayton Peace Agreement and the Constitution.

Responding to a journalist's question about whether what Republika Srpska is doing is "dangerous," Košarac emphasized that it is not, as Republika Srpska is acting democratically. "It is not dangerous because it is being adopted within institutions legally and democratically, through parliamentary debate in constitutionally defined institutions," Košarac emphasized. He noted that the establishment of the Border Police at the BiH level was unconstitutional and that Republika Srpska previously had its border police, just as the Federation of BiH /FBiH/ did. Košarac reminded that Republika Srpska has repeatedly called for discussions on the sovereignty of BiH and for decision-making based on the positions of domestic politicians, without foreigners. "We should return to the Constitution without imposed reforms," Košarac told reporters in Sarajevo. The top leadership of Republika Srpska adopted a conclusion today that Republika Srpska will establish a border police force in accordance with the Dayton Agreement and its Annex Two, says a press release from the Office of the Republika Srpska President. At a meeting held in the Palace of Republika Srpska, a Working Group was also formed, which held its first session today to draft laws regulating the work of the border police in the territory of Republika Srpska. The legal framework on which the Working Group operates will be strictly in accordance with the Dayton Agreement and its Annex Two.