Warning to the Peace Implementation Council: Dodik's moves lead to new conflicts

(Patria) - The referendum in the Republika Srpska entity, announced for October 25, must be prevented because its holding would represent a dangerous precedent and a brazen rejection of the rule of law in Bosnia and Herzegovina, it was stated in a letter sent to the Steering Board of the Peace Implementation Council (PIC).

The author of the letter is Professor of Philosophy at an American university, David Pettigrew, and co-signatory Satko Mujagić, a former camp detainee and human rights activist, with the support of numerous civil society organizations, academics, and cultural workers from BiH, the region, and the diaspora.

The appeal emphasizes that holding the referendum would directly challenge the verdict of the Court of BiH and the decision of the Central Election Commission which stripped Milorad Dodik of his mandate as president of RS, and warns that the current crisis carries the risk of destabilizing the state and the region, and even repeating the mass crimes of the 1990s.

The letter was also forwarded to the Council of Europe and the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, with a request to take all measures, including the possible deployment of EUFOR forces.

Meanwhile, the Council for the Protection of Vital Interests of the Constitutional Court of RS is today considering the requests of the Club of the Bosniak People regarding the challenge of the decision of the National Assembly of RS on holding the referendum and amendments to the Law on Referendum and Civic Initiative.