Bosniaks worried about Montenegrin in charge of RS

Milan Jelic's sudden death gave rise to a series of legal and political issues in the Bosnian Serb entity. The Republic of Srpska (RS) president died on September 30 at the age of 51 after a massive heart attack, and was laid to rest on October 3 in Modrica with full state and religious honors. Bosniaks worried about Montenegrin in charge of RS On Thursday, the Bosniak [Bosnian Muslim] caucus in the RS Council of Peoples initiated a legal procedure for the protection of vital national interest against Monday’s decision by the RS Parliament to appoint its Speaker, Igor Radojicic, acting RS President. “The decision changes the Constitution and as such is unconstitutional and unacceptable,” said the head of the Bosniak Caucus in the RS Council of Peoples, Edim Ramic. Ramic specified that Radojicic’s appointment violates the constitution, among other things because Radojicic is registered as a Montenegrin rather than a Serb. In addition, he said, the decision violates the law on prevention of conflict of interest, since the same person will have both executive and legislative functions. According to the procedure for protection of vital national interest, the RS Constitutional Court must now rule on the issue. Under the established constitutional structure of the RS, a Serb President shares office with a Bosniak and a Croat Vice-President, currently Adil Osmanovic and Davor Cordas, respectively. However, the constitution does not stipulate how the position of president should be filled, temporarily and in the long term, if the incumbent is incapacitated or dies. Meanwhile, on Friday, the Bosnian Central Electoral Commission concluded that President Jelic's mandate had ceased, and said it will announce the date and details of a Presidential election by October10, unless the RS Parliament rules on the issue by that date. According to the law, new elections must be held within 90 days. It remains unclear who will act as temporary RS president, how the position will be filled, and whether the new election will select only the RS president, or also his two Vice-Presidents.

Bosniaks worried about Montenegrin in charge of RS

On Thursday, the Bosniak [Bosnian Muslim] caucus in the RS Council of Peoples initiated a legal procedure for the protection of vital national interest against Monday’s decision by the RS Parliament to appoint its Speaker, Igor Radojičić, acting RS President.

“The decision changes the Constitution and as such is unconstitutional and unacceptable,” said the head of the Bosniak Caucus in the RS Council of Peoples, Edim Ramić.

Ramić specified that Radojičić’s appointment violates the constitution, among other things because Radojičić is registered as a Montenegrin rather than a Serb.

In addition, he said, the decision violates the law on prevention of conflict of interest, since the same person will have both executive and legislative functions.

According to the procedure for protection of vital national interest, the RS Constitutional Court must now rule on the issue.

Under the established constitutional structure of the RS, a Serb President shares office with a Bosniak and a Croat Vice-President, currently Adil Osmanović and Davor Čordaš, respectively.

However, the constitution does not stipulate how the position of president should be filled, temporarily and in the long term, if the incumbent is incapacitated or dies.

Meanwhile, on Friday, the Bosnian Central Electoral Commission concluded that President Jelić's mandate had ceased, and said it will announce the date and details of a Presidential election by October10, unless the RS Parliament rules on the issue by that date.

According to the law, new elections must be held within 90 days.

It remains unclear who will act as temporary RS president, how the position will be filled, and whether the new election will select only the RS president, or also his two Vice-Presidents.