SDA calls on OHR to react: Constitutional Court of the Republika Srpska entity is an extended arm of SNSD government

SDA strongly condemns today's political decision of the Constitutional Court of the Republika Srpska entity, which directly supported the discrimination that the legislative and executive authorities of the Republika Srpska entity have been implementing for years, marking January 9 as the entity's Day, announced the SDA, as reported by the Patria news agency. 

This highest instance in the entity, tasked with protecting the human rights of all citizens of that entity, by refusing to protect the Bosniaks of this entity and to ensure the functioning of the human rights protection system in Bosnia and Herzegovina, has once again confirmed that it is a politicized institution serving the SNSD ruling majority in this entity.

Marking the Day of the RS entity on January 9 is discriminatory, as established by the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina in its decision of November 26, 2015, ruling on the appeal of BiH Presidency member Bakir Izetbegović regarding the provisions of the Law on Holidays of the Republika Srpska entity. Regarding the decision of the Constitutional Court of BiH, a referendum cannot be called, as its decisions are final and binding. Accordingly, the decision of the National Assembly of the Republika Srpska represents a first-class act of violation of the Dayton Agreement and the Constitution of BiH.

By issuing a decision rejecting the request of the Club of Delegates of the Bosniak people to establish that the vital national interest of the Bosniak people was violated during the adoption of the Decision of the National Assembly of the Republika Srpska on calling a referendum on the Day of Republika Srpska, the Constitutional Court of the Republika Srpska entity acted contrary to the decision of the Constitutional Court of BiH, the provisions of the Dayton Peace Agreement, and the Constitution of BiH as its integral part.

The SDA will, through its cadres, and we also call on all others authorized to do so, take all actions prescribed by the Constitution and laws to annul the decision of the National Assembly of the Republika Srpska. This primarily refers to the request to the Constitutional Court of BiH to protect the Dayton Peace Agreement, the Constitution of BiH, and its own dignity, and to ensure the implementation of its own decisions.

The SDA calls on the Prosecutor's Office of BiH to react urgently, as it is more than obvious that since the day of the decision of the Constitutional Court of BiH on the unconstitutionality of January 9 until today, several individuals and institutions have been identified who refuse, prevent, or otherwise obstruct the implementation of that decision, which is punishable as a criminal offense.

It is high time for the OHR, in accordance with its powers, to protect the Dayton Peace Agreement and prevent the arbitrariness of the entity's authorities and further erosion of the rule of law leading to anarchy, the SDA statement reads.