The priority of the authorities of Republika Srpska, after adopting the amendments to the Criminal Code last week, is to pass a law on non-governmental organizations as foreign agents, as well as a law on enemies of the Republika Srpska.
In other words, the government of the RS would, with this law, provide cover for the compilation of lists of domestic traitors and foreign mercenaries.
Laws and conclusions passed in the previous period in the National Assembly of Republika Srpska remain in force, and will be, at least according to the announcements of SNSD president Milorad Dodik, strengthened by another new law – on declaring enemies of Republika Srpska.
“To be written down in history as enemies of the Serbian people and the Republika Srpska and the Constitution of Bosnia and Herzegovina.” All foreign judges were against the Constitution. I will not allow the rights of Srpska to be violated. My responsibility is to protect the future of the Republic”, said Milorad Dodik, President of the RS (SNSD).
Who and how will be added to the list of enemies, in addition to the already announced judges of the Constitutional Court and Christian Schmidt is still unknown. The oppositionists believe that their names will also be found there.
“Which ones in the executive committee of the SNSD will write.” It is known who is there, that we are the most vocal members of the opposition and others who at least sometimes look critically at the work of this government”, believes Igor Crnadak, president of the Club of PDP MPs in NSRS.
Although only announced through a statement, the law is already causing many controversies and raises the question of practical application.
“Does this mean that someone labeled as an enemy would be arrested, prosecuted, declared persona non grata, which would be crazy how you would prevent someone living in the FBiH territory from coming to the RS,” says journalist Goran Dakić.
“There are many open questions and at this moment I don’t know what the idea is, what is the goal of passing such a law. Is the goal to deal with the opposition, journalists, non-governmental organizations that behave uncritically towards the authorities”, said Velizar Antić, a political analyst.
And legal experts expect to see the draft law, so that they can comment in more detail. They note that certain items on hostile actions already exist through the existing legislation.
“I think we have a lot of legal provisions that cover it. If I do something against the state, it is covered by certain areas of criminal offenses. I think so, but I haven’t looked at that material,” says academician Vitomir Popović, former judge of the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Adds Popović, that potentially, each of us can be an enemy of the state. Whether this law will come to pass is a question of political will and the current situation. After the changes to the Criminal Code, a law is expected that will label certain non-governmental organizations as agents of foreign influence.
