Tadić intervenes in Bosnian dispute

President Boris Tadic has called on Bosnia’s High Representative Miroslav Lajcak to reevaluate the measures he has taken. “The Republic of Srpska’s (RS) voice must be respected because the Dayton Accords stipulate that changes to any principles have to be supported by the consensus of all three of the constituent peoples. As a signatory of the peace agreement, Serbia is dedicated to that principle,” Tadic told news agencies today. Tadic intervenes in Bosnian dispute The president repeated that Serbia was committed to peace and stability throughout the region. “We respect the territorial integrity of every nation, Bosnia-Hercegovina unambiguously so. Her constitutionality is based on the principles of the Dayton Accords, and decisions cannot be made at the expense of one of those constituent peoples,” he stressed. Tadic called on Lajcak to reach a compromise with RS Prime Minister Milorad Dodik, and to react to inappropriate messages that certain B-H officials had been sending to their Serb counterparts. The president said that inappropriate and undiplomatic remarks containing threats were not a solution to the dispute, and called on the international community and Bosnian officials to temper their passions, and to respect the Dayton Accords as a guarantee of peace and stability. On October 19, Lajcak made amendments to the Law on the Bosnian Council of Ministers and the rulebook on the work of both chambers of parliament, together with changing the quorum procedures within the lower chamber. Under the changes, sessions of the Council of Ministers can now be held in the presence of a majority of its members, while rulings can be passed with a majority of votes of those present, provided that majority includes at least one representative from each of the constituent entities. Previously, two were required. Under the changes to the parliamentary decision-making process, for a ruling to be adopted the votes of one third of MPs from each entity who have voted will be required, instead of the previous requirement of one-third of the total number of MPs from within each entity. Meanwhile, Serbian Interior Minister Dragan Jocic has said that the government would firmly support Dodik in his attempts to ensure the functioning and status of the RS in keeping with the principles enshrined in the Dayton Accords. “As a signatory of the Dayton Accords, Serbia insists on their verbatim implementation and the preservation of the RS,” Jocic told Beta today. The interior minister added that the high representative had to be mindful of the fact that under the accords, Bosnia-Hercegovina was not a unitary state, but that it was made up of two entities, and that the RS’ status was guaranteed by the treaty. Boris Tadic (B92)

Tadić intervenes in Bosnian dispute

The president repeated that Serbia was committed to peace and stability throughout the region.

“We respect the territorial integrity of every nation, Bosnia-Hercegovina unambiguously so. Her constitutionality is based on the principles of the Dayton Accords, and decisions cannot be made at the expense of one of those constituent peoples,” he stressed.

Tadić called on Lajčak to reach a compromise with RS Prime Minister Milorad Dodik, and to react to inappropriate messages that certain B-H officials had been sending to their Serb counterparts.

The president said that inappropriate and undiplomatic remarks containing threats were not a solution to the dispute, and called on the international community and Bosnian officials to temper their passions, and to respect the Dayton Accords as a guarantee of peace and stability.

On October 19, Lajčak made amendments to the Law on the Bosnian Council of Ministers and the rulebook on the work of both chambers of parliament, together with changing the quorum procedures within the lower chamber.

Under the changes, sessions of the Council of Ministers can now be held in the presence of a majority of its members, while rulings can be passed with a majority of votes of those present, provided that majority includes at least one representative from each of the constituent entities. Previously, two were required.

Under the changes to the parliamentary decision-making process, for a ruling to be adopted the votes of one third of MPs from each entity who have voted will be required, instead of the previous requirement of one-third of the total number of MPs from within each entity.

Meanwhile, Serbian Interior Minister Dragan Jočić has said that the government would firmly support Dodik in his attempts to ensure the functioning and status of the RS in keeping with the principles enshrined in the Dayton Accords.

“As a signatory of the Dayton Accords, Serbia insists on their verbatim implementation and the preservation of the RS,” Jočić told Beta today.

The interior minister added that the high representative had to be mindful of the fact that under the accords, Bosnia-Hercegovina was not a unitary state, but that it was made up of two entities, and that the RS’ status was guaranteed by the treaty.