SRPSKA NATIONAL ASSEMBLY'S DECLARATION GOAL JUSTIFIED - OHR SHUTDOWN

ISTOČNO SARAJEVO, MAY 27 /SRNA/ – Political analyst Miloš Šolaja told SRNA that the Republika Srpska National Assembly's Declaration on closing the Office of High Representative /OHR/ should contribute to a return to the original principles of the Dayton Peace Agreement.

Šolaja stated that this would mean the abolition of the Bonn Powers and all the negative consequences they previously produced in BiH, including the fact that former high representatives imposed decisions in an authoritarian manner, which has so far altered the Constitution of BiH and Annex 4, largely to the detriment of Republika Srpska. "This was supposed to be a first step and a serious warning that those who created the Dayton Peace Agreement should return the institution of the High Representative to the framework of the Dayton, and then gradually move toward shutting down the OHR, meaning that BiH institutions would finally take over their functions in accordance with the Constitution of BiH," said Šolaja, a professor of international relations and security at the Faculty of Political Sciences in Banja Luka. He notes this will not happen based solely on this declaration, but it will certainly initiate a discussion. "It is good if this takes place in the UN Security Council, because through its resolution it has already endorsed the Dayton Peace Agreement as the final solution for peace in BiH," he said. Šolaja believes that such a document should have been adopted much earlier in order to fully withdraw the institution of the High Representative from BiH and the Dayton Peace Agreement. Yesterday, deputies of the Republika Srpska National Assembly adopted a Declaration on closing the OHR calling for the termination of the High Representative's position in BiH and the closure of the OHR. The adopted document states that the National Assembly, as the highest body of Republika Srpska - a party to Annex 10 of the Dayton Peace Agreement - requests that the UN Security Council urgently adopt a resolution ending the office of the High Representative in BiH and closing the OHR.