JUDGMENT REJECTED, CALL TO STAND BEHIND THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC

BANJA LUKA, AUGUST 5 /SRNA/ – The Government of Republika Srpska firmly rejects and does not accept the second-instance judgment of the Court of BiH against the President of Republika Srpska Milorad Dodik, calling it legally void, unconstitutional and politically motivated, calling on all political stake holders and citizens of Srpska to publicly stand behind the president.

At a special session held today in Banja Luka, the Government assessed that the judgment against the president is a judgment against the entire Serb people in BiH, undermining equality and threatening the survival of Serbs throughout the country, directly violating the core principles guaranteed by the Dayton Peace Agreement, under which Republika Srpska is a contracting party. The Government called on all relevant political stakeholders and citizens to refuse the disenfranchisement of the Serb people and other nations in BiH by standing firmly and clearly behind their democratically and directly elected president in momentum of an attempt to forcibly dismantle the institution of the President, impose a colonial-style administration, and silence democracy. Referring to the overall political climate in BiH, where the office of the Republika Srpska president is under direct political attack due to a fabricated political trial, the Government expressed its political determination, consistency, and commitment to the interests of Republika Srpska and its citizens. The Government recalls that the National Assembly, in its conclusions from December last year, declared that the unconstitutional Court and Prosecutor’s Office of BiH are conducting a politically orchestrated trial against the President, who acted solely in line with his constitutional and legal duties within the legislative process led by the National Assembly. The Government reaffirmed its commitment to the Dayton Peace Agreement, stressing that a democratic BiH can only be sustainable if Republika Srpska's position is respected as defined in the constitutions of both Republika Srpska and BiH, where only the voters decide who their legitimate and legal representatives are. Furthermore, the Government noted that the Federation of BiH, as the other signatory to the Dayton Peace Agreement, has placed Republika Srpska in an unequal position by supporting unconstitutional judicial institutions and the rendering of an illegal judgment against the president. This, it emphasized, violates the fundamental principles of the General Framework Agreement for Peace in BiH regarding the equality of the contracting parties, according to a statement from the Government's Public Relations Bureau. The statement added the Government will continue, in accordance with its constitutional competencies and the Dayton Accords, to take all necessary measures and actions to preserve the institutions of Republika Srpska and ensure peace and security for all its citizens.