SDP BiH demands urgent action before severe consequences, possible protest in front of OHR

(Patria) - At the III Extraordinary Session of the SDP BiH Presidency, held on 02/09/2022 in Sarajevo with one agenda item: "Continuation of attacks on the constitutional and legal order and territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina", after deliberation, the SDP BiH Presidency adopted the following set of conclusions:

1. SDP BiH assesses that there has been an intensification of attacks on the constitutional and legal order of Bosnia and Herzegovina, initiated in the National Assembly of Republika Srpska (RS) in October 2021. Such behavior causes the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina to increasingly sink into extraordinary political circumstances that can produce severe consequences for all citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

2. Separatist politicians in the Bosnian-Herzegovinian entity of RS have undertaken and plan to continue a series of concrete steps for the unconstitutional, unilateral, and illegal transfer of competencies from the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the entity. Legal and other facts indicate that the Bosnian-Herzegovinian entity of RS has moved towards a unilateral departure from the Dayton Peace Agreement, and that full criminal, political, and all other responsibility for such illegal and adventurous behavior will be borne precisely by those who initiated it.

3. In recent months, the international community, and especially the European Union, have collectively failed to fulfill their internationally established obligations towards the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina and have so far not imposed any sanctions on the political leadership of the Bosnian-Herzegovinian entity of RS, which has led to the most severe violation of the Dayton Peace Agreement since its signing to date.

4. SDP BiH calls on the High Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina to immediately eliminate the consequences of separatist actions in the Bosnian-Herzegovinian entity of RS by urgently repealing all unconstitutional decisions and regulations adopted by the National Assembly of RS.

5. We demand that the Prosecutor's Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina, within 7 days at the latest, inform the domestic and international public about what concrete steps have been taken and what concrete steps are planned to sanction individuals who have openly attacked the constitutional order of the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina. In the event that the state Prosecutor's Office does not respond within this period, we call on the competent authorities to legally determine the responsibility of those individuals who obstruct the defense of the constitutional order of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

6. SDP BiH will send a call to action to friends and political allies of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the EU institutions, national governments and parliaments of EU member states, Great Britain, and the United States of America, as well as all political actors committed to supporting the sovereignty of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the equal rights of citizens and peoples.

7. The President of SDP BiH will prepare the text and send a new letter to the leadership of the Socialist International and the Party of European Socialists as soon as possible.

8. SDP BiH will participate in negotiations at the state level that exclusively concern unblocking state institutions, and stopping and sanctioning the separatist actions of the ruling structures of RS.

9. SDP BiH welcomes the expressed positions of international officials and will insist on affirming such positions that the General Elections must be held in accordance with the valid election law, unless amendments to the Election Law of BiH are adopted in the meantime.

10. All SDP officials are obliged to undertake activities within their authority regarding the implementation of conclusions on the protection of state institutions.

11. The SDP BiH Presidency tasks the Collegium of the SDP President to consider the method, possibilities, and necessity of holding protests in front of the OHR headquarters, or simultaneously in cantonal and regional centers throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina. For the purpose of planning the organization of protests, presidents of Cantonal/Regional Committees will be invited to Collegium sessions.

12. The Collegium of the President will assess the need and location for holding a public rally in support of the democratic path of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina in Skenderija Sarajevo or Borik Banja Luka.