Regional media also criticise Dodik over controversial public order and peace law

The Government of Republika Srpska came under sharp criticism on Wednesday not only from the opposition but also from the entire region due to its attempt to limit freedom of public expression through legislation, as well as its attempt to influence the work of media in BiH through police threats.

HINA reports that the new law on public order and peace, proposed by the RS entity government, which envisages sanctions even for some posts on social networks, has sparked sharp criticism of the RS government even from the US Embassy in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

This news agency further states that the opposition in the RS also assessed that behind the controversial law on public order and peace is actually an attempt by the authorities to protect themselves from any criticism, which they compared to practices prevailing in countries such as North Korea or Belarus.

"Even Lukashenko would not do this," was the comment of the president of the New Democratic Party (NDP) and former RS President Dragan Čavić. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko is, incidentally, often called the last European dictator.

The draft law was also criticised by the OSCE and numerous journalist associations, and on Wednesday they were joined by the US Embassy, expressing concern over what the government controlled by Milorad Dodik is doing.

Index.hr brings the story about Dodik's controversial law under the title „Boycott of the controversial law“ and the journalist of this portal explains that despite pressure from the public, international organisations and foreign embassies, the RS National Assembly on Tuesday rejected the opposition's request to withdraw the Proposal for the Law on Public Order and Peace from the procedure.

RS Minister of Internal Affairs Dragan Lukač says that no one's goal is to prevent anyone from expressing their opinion with this law, but their intention is to protect citizens, NAP reports.