NATIONAL ASSEMBLY ADOPTS CONCLUSIONS, RULES OUT EARLY ELECTIONS

BANJA LUKA, AUGUST 23 /SRNA/ - The National Assembly of Republika Srpska adopted on Friday the Information on the verdict of the unconstitutional Court of BiH delivered against the President of Republika Srpska, as well as on the decision of the Central Election Commission of BiH to terminate the mandate of President Milorad Dodik, and on the position of the National Assembly regarding the future activities of the institutions of Republika Srpska, with conclusions proposed by the ruling coalitio

Out of 65 MPs present, 50 voted in favor, none voted against, and there were no abstentions. Part of the opposition MPs left the chamber during the vote, while others remained in the assembly hall but did not express their position. The conclusions state that the National Assembly of Republika Srpska rejects the possibility of holding early elections for the President of Republika Srpska and demands that all political actors in Republika Srpska, including political parties and individuals, refrain from registering for any potential early presidential elections. The parliament demands that all authorities of Republika Srpska and local self-government units refrain from undertaking any actions related to the possible holding of early elections for the President of the Republic. The conclusions emphasize that the National Assembly does not accept and rejects the verdict of the unconstitutional Court of BiH delivered against the President of Republika Srpska, as well as the decision of the BiH Central Election Commission to terminate the mandate of the President of Republika Srpska, Milorad Dodik. The National Assembly notes that the Court of BiH rendered its verdict based on the decision of the unelected foreigner Christian Schmidt, and not on a law adopted by the Parliamentary Assembly of BiH, thereby carrying out a coup d’état and completely undermining the constitutional order of BiH as defined by the Dayton Peace Agreement, of which Republika Srpska is also a signatory, according to the conclusions proposed by the caucuses of SNSD, NPS-DNS, DEMOS, SPS, SP, and US. In the adopted conclusions, the National Assembly reminds that Christian Schmidt is presenting himself arbitrarily as the High Representative in BiH, whose appointment was not carried out in accordance with Annex 10 of the Dayton Peace Agreement and has not been confirmed by the United Nations Security Council. The National Assembly of Republika Srpska reminds that President Dodik was elected by the people of Republika Srpska in democratic and free elections, and demands that Dodik continue to perform his duties as the President of Republika Srpska in full capacity, in accordance with the Constitution of Republika Srpska and by carrying out his constitutional obligations. The conclusions state that registering for and participating in early elections for the President of Republika Srpska would represent a violation of the positions of the National Assembly, a disruption of the constitutional balance, and the nullification of Republika Srpska as a party to the Dayton Peace Agreement. The National Assembly demands that all authorities, institutions, officials, and authorized persons at the level of the Republic and at the level of local self-government refrain from undertaking any actions related to the possible holding of early elections for the President of the Republic. Any potential cooperation with the Central Election Commission of BiH on this matter, as emphasized, would constitute the criminal offense of "disrespecting or failing to execute the decisions of the institutions or bodies of Republika Srpska," as prescribed by Article 278a of the Criminal Code of Republika Srpska. The National Assembly rejects the decisions and practices of the Constitutional Court of BiH aimed at incorporating the High Representative into the constitutional system of BiH as a holder of power. The National Assembly of Republika Srpska emphasizes that the High Representative is a Dayton category, whose scope of rights and obligations is regulated by Annex 10. The National Assembly reminds that the High Representative is not provided for in the Constitution of BiH, and therefore cannot be a holder of any authority, as stated in the conclusions. It was concluded that the Parliament of Republika Srpska does not accept the continuous attempts to dismantle and abolish Republika Srpska as an institutional framework and legal-political entity of the Serb people, within which all citizens exercise their collective and individual rights based on the Constitution of BiH. The conclusions state that the National Assembly reminds that Republika Srpska is a party signatory to the Dayton Peace Agreement and all its annexes, and that, given its status as a contracting party, which was also confirmed during the harmonization of the Geneva and New York Principles, Republika Srpska has both the right and the obligation to protect the Dayton Peace Agreement. The National Assembly of Republika Srpska notes that judicial pressures on institutions are aimed at seizing the property of Republika Srpska, which would strip Srpska of its powers and render it meaningless as a political and legal entity. The National Assembly reminds that the issue of property is explicitly regulated by the Constitution of BiH and assigned to the entities under the principle of the general clause. According to the adopted document, the National Assembly of Republika Srpska tasks the Collegium of the Parliament with preparing the text of a resolution on the self-determination of the Serb people and Republika Srpska.