NSRS asks the RS Constitutional Court not to approve the protection of the vital national interest of Bosniaks

The Committee for Constitutional Affairs of the National Assembly of the Republika Srpska has asked the Constitutional Court of the Republika Srpska not to accept the protection of the vital national interest of Bosniaks, which was initiated by the Club of Bosniaks in the Council of Peoples of the RS before the Court, due to the Decision on calling a referendum in the RS, writes Patria.

The Constitutional Court of BiH declared January 9, which is celebrated as the Day of the RS, unconstitutional, but the authorities from Banja Luka do not want to accept such a decision. The authorities from the RS have announced that the citizens of the RS will decide on this issue in a referendum, which is scheduled for September 25. Opposition parties also supported the referendum. Their only objection was the date of the referendum. They asked for the referendum to be postponed until after the Local Elections in BiH, which will be held on October 2.

The Constitutional Court of Republika Srpska will make a decision on the request of the Club of Bosniaks from the Council of Peoples of the RS no later than August 31.

Ramiz Salkić, Vice-President of Republika Srpska, told the BiH news agency Patria earlier that he does not expect much from the RS Constitutional Court. He says it is unlikely that the Court will protect Bosniaks and BiH.

- The Court is under the direct control of the President of the RS Milorad Dodik, the National Assembly of the RS and the Council of Peoples of the RS – Salkić believes.

- And the fact that the veto on January 9 was placed on the agenda of the RS Constitutional Court very quickly tells us that the authorities want to remove all barriers that could potentially hinder the holding of the referendum as soon as possible – says Salkić.

The Vice-President of the RS warns that the issue of the referendum on January 9 is not just a Bosniak issue. Holding a referendum means disrespecting the Decision of the Constitutional Court of BiH. And that, says Salkić, is a direct blow to the Dayton Peace Agreement.

- The OHR and the High Representative Valentin Inzko must stop the referendum, because it is a blow to Dayton. No one has the right to disrespect the decisions of the Constitutional Court – said Salkić.

He believes that if the referendum on January 9 passes, every time the authorities in the RS dislike a decision of the Constitutional Court of BiH, they will call a referendum. The existence of the Constitutional Court of BiH becomes meaningless, writes Patria.