RS protests at Lajčak changes

Throughout the Republic of Srpska (RS), citizens have been protesting against the steps taken by Miroslav Lajcak. Their stands will soon be endorsed by the RS government and parliament. RS protests at Lajcak changes A peaceful protest will be held today in the RS by the Serb NGO Movement in protest at the measures recently introduced by Bosnia-Hercegovina’s high representative. The RS parliament is also expected to adopt a position on the matter, and will consider an initiative to strip the Office of the High Representative of the Bonn Powers, as well as the possibility of RS representatives’ withdrawal from Bosnian institutions. The RS government will also clarify its position as far as Lajcak’s measures are concerned. On October 19, the high representative made changes to the decision-making process within the Bosnian Council of Ministers, and sought amendments and supplements to rulebooks governing both chambers of the Bosnian parliament. Peaceful protests organized by the Serb NGO Movement are to be held in all the RS’s major cities. According to Movement President Branislav Dukic, Lajcak’s measures are unacceptable for the RS. He says that the movement has not discounted the possibility of initiating a referendum, but only in the event of the RS parliament changing the Constitution. “We won’t allow Lajcak to play the wolf here, and the Serbs to be Little Red Riding Hood, because without the Serbs in the RS, there’s no Bosnia-Hercegovina either,“ said Dukic. Meanwhile, at an emergency session, the RS parliament is due to consider proposals to condemn the high representative’s moves and decisions, as well to strip him of the Bonn Powers. The government will meet beforehand to review analysts’ views on Lajcak's measures. RS Prime Minister Milorad Dodik still expects Lajcak to change his decision. “If the solutions are good and satisfy the citizens of the RS, it’s problem solved, I think. If not, then we stand by our earlier position,“ Dodik said. The high representative does not appear worried by goings-on in the RS, and as far as the proposed withdrawal of the Bonn Powers are concerned, says that the RS has no authority to take decisions on such matters. By all accounts, the political atmosphere in Bosnia-Hercegovina has not altered following yesterday’s meeting of political leaders in Mostar, where a Declaration on Undertaking Commitments for the Implementation of Police Reform was signed. Although this was presented as a sign of significant progress, the document scarcely solves a single key issue in the field of police reform. The declaration is not a final document, but a basis for a general principle, that will take shape following the adoption of a set of laws. In practice, it simply means that the resolution of controversial issues will be drawn out even further.

RS protests at Lajčak changes

A peaceful protest will be held today in the RS by the Serb NGO Movement in protest at the measures recently introduced by Bosnia-Hercegovina’s high representative. The RS parliament is also expected to adopt a position on the matter, and will consider an initiative to strip the Office of the High Representative of the Bonn Powers, as well as the possibility of RS representatives’ withdrawal from Bosnian institutions. The RS government will also clarify its position as far as Lajčak’s measures are concerned.

On October 19, the high representative made changes to the decision-making process within the Bosnian Council of Ministers, and sought amendments and supplements to rulebooks governing both chambers of the Bosnian parliament. Peaceful protests organized by the Serb NGO Movement are to be held in all the RS’s major cities.

According to Movement President Branislav Dukić, Lajčak’s measures are unacceptable for the RS. He says that the movement has not discounted the possibility of initiating a referendum, but only in the event of the RS parliament changing the Constitution.

“We won’t allow Lajčak to play the wolf here, and the Serbs to be Little Red Riding Hood, because without the Serbs in the RS, there’s no Bosnia-Hercegovina either,“ said Dukić.

Meanwhile, at an emergency session, the RS parliament is due to consider proposals to condemn the high representative’s moves and decisions, as well to strip him of the Bonn Powers. The government will meet beforehand to review analysts’ views on Lajčak's measures.

RS Prime Minister Milorad Dodik still expects Lajčak to change his decision. “If the solutions are good and satisfy the citizens of the RS, it’s problem solved, I think. If not, then we stand by our earlier position,“ Dodik said.

The high representative does not appear worried by goings-on in the RS, and as far as the proposed withdrawal of the Bonn Powers are concerned, says that the RS has no authority to take decisions on such matters.

By all accounts, the political atmosphere in Bosnia-Hercegovina has not altered following yesterday’s meeting of political leaders in Mostar, where a Declaration on Undertaking Commitments for the Implementation of Police Reform was signed.

Although this was presented as a sign of significant progress, the document scarcely solves a single key issue in the field of police reform.

The declaration is not a final document, but a basis for a general principle, that will take shape following the adoption of a set of laws. In practice, it simply means that the resolution of controversial issues will be drawn out even further.