DRAFT LAW ON THE COURT OF BiH STRIPS REPUBLIKA SRPSKA OF JURISDICTION

BANJA LUKA, JUNE 1 /SRNA/ – The Minister of Justice of Republika Srpska Miloš Bukejlović told SRNA that the Draft Law on the Court of BiH is unacceptable for Republika Srpska because, among other things, it could result in the transfer of its constitutional competencies.

Bukejlović stated that the law, set to be reviewed by the House of Representatives and the House of Peoples of the BiH Parliamentary Assembly under urgent procedure, must instead be adopted through the regular legislative process. "Although the adoption of this law is necessary to strengthen legal certainty and ensure the proper functioning of the judiciary, this is a harmful law for Republika Srpska and may lead to the loss of its jurisdiction," Bukejlović said. According to him, systemic laws that are important on BiH’s path toward the EU should be adopted through a regular legislative process and based on coordinated, mutual agreement at the BiH level. "Considering that the adoption of this law is one of the conditions for opening EU accession negotiations for BiH, such systemic laws should be passed through the regular procedure, with coordinated and joint agreement, to allow for detailed analysis of arguments and comments while respecting all levels of government," Bukejlović concluded.