TI BiH: Authoritarian Regime's Arbitrariness in RS Introduces Country into Dangerous Uncertainty

(Patria) - Transparency International (TI) in BiH believes that the ruling majority in RS, by adopting the Election Law of RS, which is contrary to the BiH Constitution, the BiH Election Law, and Annex 3 of the Dayton Peace Agreement, is attempting to create a parallel election administration and prevent the implementation of legal elections.

Such a move creates legal uncertainty and chaos, and jeopardizes stability in order to maintain their own control over the electoral process and institutions.

"By adopting the Election Law of RS, the authoritarian regime has stepped outside the framework of BiH's legal order, and through the Law on Immunity, it has legalized placing holders of key executive and legislative functions above the law, thus completely endangering the fundamental principle of the rule of law.

Instead of improving the existing legal framework and rectifying shortcomings that enabled systemic election theft in the previous period, we are now witnessing not only blockades of electoral reform but also the introduction of a parallel electoral system and the adoption of laws whose sole purpose is the survival of the ruling structure in power and ensuring complete impunity in that process.

Due to all of the above, the adoption of the Election Law of RS represents an attempt to prevent the holding of legal elections and the expression of citizens' electoral will through legal violence.

The National Assembly of RS also adopted the draft Law on Immunity of RS, and TI BiH has previously warned that such a solution opens up enormous space for crime and impunity for corruption offenses committed by top officials.

Such a law would grant amnesty to the holders of the most responsible executive functions from criminal prosecution for any acts they commit 'within their jurisdiction,' which is contrary to all international standards.

Both laws can have unforeseeable consequences on the fundamental human rights of citizens to elect and be elected, as well as consequences in terms of legalizing the unlimited arbitrariness of holders of executive and legislative power.

The consequences of these laws are no less dangerous from the perspective of legal certainty and undermining the stability of the country," stated TI BiH.