Dodik: Bosnia under protectorate

RS PM Milorad Dodik says Bosnia-Herzegovina is under an international protectorate where the high representative rules by decree, violating human rights. “If Bosnia is not a protectorate, then you’ve got a case of usurpation and occupation,” Dodik told Bosnian MPs following the government’s memorandum on the effects of transferring constitutional authorities from the Republic of Srpska (RS) to the Bosnian institutions. Dodik: Bosnia under protectorate He said that political officials in the country had been “blackmailed and replaced without evidence and only based on decisions by the high representatives,” adding that in the 11 years of the Office of the High Representative’s (OHR) existence, around 800 decisions had been taken “misusing the authorities of the international officials.” Dodik accused former High Representative Paddy Ashdown of being “a legislative machine personified in one man, who constantly used his authority and imposed laws to create new institutions.” “He directly threatened to remove officials in order to force the entities to agree with his plan for transferring powers to the central government,” he said. The RS PM stated that entity powers had been transferred to central level most often “under the guise of so-called needed reforms for harmonization with European standards,” and under the pressure of individuals, the high representatives and the OHR. He said that the calls to transfer powers from the entities highlighted principles that were not represented by European standards, but had the goal of weakening the entities and creating a new political crisis. Dodik gave the example of police reform, stating that the reform principle for this domain had been “imaginary” and that it had only served to “blackmail domestic politicians and weaken the RS.” He said that international officials in Bosnia-Hercegovina “do what they want, do not answer to anyone, and draw huge wages,” accusing the OHR of “illegal actions” that endanger stability. The prime minister added that the OHR contained a structure that was aimed against the RS and that it put pressure on every new official to work in accordance with its views. Dodik said that Christian Schwarz-Schilling and Miroslav Lajcak had left the country ahead of time, because they did not to work as protectors. The RS prime minister said that the OHR’s mandate must be ended, in order for the rule of law to take shape in Bosnia-Hercegovina. Dodik added that the RS had transferred 68 powers to Bosnia-Herzegovina, mostly based on the Bonn Powers of the OHR. The most important powers were transferred in the sectors of defense, legislation and indirect taxation. Dodik said that the process of “eroding” RS powers had been stopped in recent years, adding that any new attempt to impose a transfer of powers from this entity would be ignored.

Dodik: Bosnia under protectorate

He said that political officials in the country had been “blackmailed and replaced without evidence and only based on decisions by the high representatives,” adding that in the 11 years of the Office of the High Representative’s (OHR) existence, around 800 decisions had been taken “misusing the authorities of the international officials.”

Dodik accused former High Representative Paddy Ashdown of being “a legislative machine personified in one man, who constantly used his authority and imposed laws to create new institutions.”

“He directly threatened to remove officials in order to force the entities to agree with his plan for transferring powers to the central government,” he said.

The RS PM stated that entity powers had been transferred to central level most often “under the guise of so-called needed reforms for harmonization with European standards,” and under the pressure of individuals, the high representatives and the OHR.

He said that the calls to transfer powers from the entities highlighted principles that were not represented by European standards, but had the goal of weakening the entities and creating a new political crisis.

Dodik gave the example of police reform, stating that the reform principle for this domain had been “imaginary” and that it had only served to “blackmail domestic politicians and weaken the RS.”

He said that international officials in Bosnia-Hercegovina “do what they want, do not answer to anyone, and draw huge wages,” accusing the OHR of “illegal actions” that endanger stability.

The prime minister added that the OHR contained a structure that was aimed against the RS and that it put pressure on every new official to work in accordance with its views.

Dodik said that Christian Schwarz-Schilling and Miroslav Lajčak had left the country ahead of time, because they did not to work as protectors.

The RS prime minister said that the OHR’s mandate must be ended, in order for the rule of law to take shape in Bosnia-Hercegovina.

Dodik added that the RS had transferred 68 powers to Bosnia-Herzegovina, mostly based on the Bonn Powers of the OHR.

The most important powers were transferred in the sectors of defense, legislation and indirect taxation.

Dodik said that the process of “eroding” RS powers had been stopped in recent years, adding that any new attempt to impose a transfer of powers from this entity would be ignored.