Schmidt: I have unwavering confidence in the ability of BiH state institutions to act

(Patria) - High Representative Christian Schmidt called on all relevant factors to fully utilize domestic legal instruments to maintain and protect the constitutional order of BiH, the Office of the High Representative (OHR) announced today for Radio Free Europe (RSE).

The OHR states that the recent adoption of laws in the entity of RS directly undermines the constitutional order of BiH and ignores the RS's obligations under the General Framework Agreement for Peace.

- I have unwavering confidence in the ability of BiH state institutions to act - said Schmidt.

The Law on Non-Application of the Law and Prohibition of the Work of Unconstitutional Institutions of BiH, adopted on February 27 in the National Assembly of RS, prohibits the work and proceedings of the Court and Prosecutor's Office of BiH, the State Investigation and Protection Agency (SIPA), and the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council of BiH, which appoints all judges and prosecutors in the country.

Among the adopted laws is the one on a special register and public transparency of the work of non-profit organizations, colloquially called the "foreign agents law", which, following the example of Russian law, introduces strict control over the work of the civil sector in RS.

The President of RS, Milorad Dodik, signed decrees on the promulgation of these laws last night, after which these decrees were published in the Official Gazette of RS. They enter into force the day after their publication in the Official Gazette.

Member of the Presidency of BiH Denis Bećirović, Speaker of the House of Representatives of BiH Denis Zvizdić, and Deputy Speaker of the House of Peoples of BiH Kemal Ademović today submitted an appeal to the Constitutional Court of BiH, seeking an official assessment of the constitutionality of that law.