RS: Inzko’s decisions illegal

According to his international mandate, High Representative Valentine Inzko does not have the authority to annul decisions of Bosnia’s parliamentary assembly. This is according to a statement issued today in Banja Luka from the cabinet of the premier of the Serb entity in Bosnia. RS: Inzko’s decisions illegal Republic of Srpska Prime Minister Milorad Dodik’s cabinet said that the assembly in Sarajevo voted against the extension of mandates of the foreign judges and prosecutors in Bosnia-Herzegovina on October 1, 2009. Nevertheless, the statement continued, the high representative on December 14 made decisions that imposed foreign judges and prosecutors on the Bosnian judiciary and annulled the decision of the parliamentary assembly. The statement points out that the RS government and parliament are obliged to respect the Constitution of Bosnia-Herzegovina to the letter and to act in accordance with domestic and international laws, and adds that it was for this reason that RS “cannot accept or implement illegal decisions of the high representative”. “The high representative does not have the authority to put himself above the Constitution and the law. His powers envisioned by the Annex 10 of the Dayton Accords are limited and do not allow him the comprehensive authority he has assigned to himself by making the recent decisions,” the statement reads. The RS government rejected the claims coming from Inzko’s office, OHR, that its decisions and decisions of the RS parliament regarding Inzko’s moves are not in accordance with the Dayton Accords, “which obliges them to cooperate in investigations and criminal prosecution of the war criminals”. “Nothing in the Dayton Accords requires or suggests that foreign judges and prosecutors must be involved in domestic prosecution of war crimes suspects,” the announcement stressed. Dodik’s cabinet also announced that the government would continue to act according to the law, including the continuation of full cooperation with the Hague Tribunal. The government stated that it intends to hold a referendum on Inzko’s imposed decisions, “in order to allow the RS citizens to express their opinion about the high representative’s actions, which went against the Dayton Accords.”

RS: Inzko’s decisions illegal

Republic of Srpska Prime Minister Milorad Dodik’s cabinet said that the assembly in Sarajevo voted against the extension of mandates of the foreign judges and prosecutors in Bosnia-Herzegovina on October 1, 2009.

Nevertheless, the statement continued, the high representative on December 14 made decisions that imposed foreign judges and prosecutors on the Bosnian judiciary and annulled the decision of the parliamentary assembly.

The statement points out that the RS government and parliament are obliged to respect the Constitution of Bosnia-Herzegovina to the letter and to act in accordance with domestic and international laws, and adds that it was for this reason that RS “cannot accept or implement illegal decisions of the high representative”.

“The high representative does not have the authority to put himself above the Constitution and the law. His powers envisioned by the Annex 10 of the Dayton Accords are limited and do not allow him the comprehensive authority he has assigned to himself by making the recent decisions,” the statement reads.

The RS government rejected the claims coming from Inzko’s office, OHR, that its decisions and decisions of the RS parliament regarding Inzko’s moves are not in accordance with the Dayton Accords, “which obliges them to cooperate in investigations and criminal prosecution of the war criminals”.

“Nothing in the Dayton Accords requires or suggests that foreign judges and prosecutors must be involved in domestic prosecution of war crimes suspects,” the announcement stressed.

Dodik’s cabinet also announced that the government would continue to act according to the law, including the continuation of full cooperation with the Hague Tribunal.

The government stated that it intends to hold a referendum on Inzko’s imposed decisions, “in order to allow the RS citizens to express their opinion about the high representative’s actions, which went against the Dayton Accords.”