NO CONSENT ON INITIATING THE PROTECTION OF BOSNIAK PEOPLE’S VITAL INTEREST OVER REFERENDUM

BANJA LUKA, SEPTEMBER 4 /SRNA/ – The Republika Srpska Council of Peoples has not reached a consent on initiating a procedure protecting the Bosniak people’s vital national interest regarding the veto on calling a referendum in Republika Srpska and the decision to prematurely enact this decision.

Consent was also not reached regarding the Law on Amendments to the Law on Referendums and Civic Initiatives and the decision to prematurely enact this law. The matter has been referred to the Joint Commission of the National Assembly and the Council of Peoples of Republika Srpska for harmonization of laws, regulations, and acts, as announced by the Council of Peoples. The Head of the Bosniak Pople Caucus in the Council of Peoples, Alija Tabaković, said that no consent had been reached on the proposed veto by this Caucus. “Colleagues from other caucuses did not support our veto, and now it goes to the joint commission of the Council of Peoples and the National Assembly. We will certainly not receive support there either," Tabaković told reporters after the session. He stated that the Constitutional Court of Republika Srpska would then make the final decision. Tabaković announced that within the next three to four days, this caucus should decide whether to initiate the protection of the vital national interest regarding the election of the Republika Srpska government. On August 22, the National Assembly of Republika Srpska adopted a decision to call a referendum regarding the ruling of the unconstitutional Court of BiH against the President of Republika Srpska, Milorad Dodik, and the decision of the BiH Central Election Commission /CEC/ regarding the termination of Dodik’s office, setting the referendum date for October 25. The referendum question is: "Do you accept the decisions of the unappointed foreigner Christian Schmidt and the ruling of the unconstitutional Court of BiH against the president of Republika Srpska, as well as the CEC decision regarding the termination of the office of the President of Republika Srpska, Milorad Dodik?" Amendments to the Law on Referendums and Civic Initiatives were adopted, which stipulate the possibility of establishing a special commission for conducting referendums in certain cases, which will be established by the Republika Srpska National Assembly. It was also stipulated that, in addition to the previous bodies, the referendum commission is a body for conducting the referendum.