The US Embassy in Bosnia and Herzegovina announced the conclusions passed by the National Assembly of the Republika Srpska on the night of Thursday to Friday. They pointed out that the conclusions represent a direct attack on the state structure of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Dayton Peace Agreement.
“The conclusions and the law that Milorad Dodik and his partners in the ruling coalition of the Republika Srpska pushed through the National Assembly of the Republika Srpska (NSRS) yesterday represent a direct attack on the state structure of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Dayton Peace Agreement. As Mr. Dodik and his partners often do, they showed contempt for democracy and political pluralism by using outrageous language in addressing the members of the Assembly who opposed those measures. Unfortunately, this is in line with Mr. Dodik’s ongoing campaign whose goal is to deprive the citizens of Republika Srpska of their fundamental rights and freedoms,” they stated.
They further point out that “it is not surprising that Milorad Dodik and his sycophants attacked what the high representative recently did with the aim of strengthening the integrity of the electoral process, because free and fair elections are an existential threat to parties that rely on fraud to stay in power.”
“The draft Election Law of the RS that was adopted yesterday would usurp state competences and create a parallel electoral system. It is another example of Mr. Dodik’s destructive, anti-Dayton policy that stands in the way of the integration of Bosnia and Herzegovina into the Euro-Atlantic institutions. And don’t be fooled, progress is which Bosnia and Herzegovina recently achieved in the process of European integration, although it is welcome, it was achieved despite, not thanks to, Mr. Dodik.”
The American Embassy states that “if Mr. Dodik wants to facilitate the closure of the Office of the High Representative and accelerate the integration of Bosnia and Herzegovina into European institutions, he can do so by engaging in constructive negotiations aimed at achieving consensus and compromise, as well as by accepting reforms that are in line with European standards instead of resisting them with a policy of blocking, blackmail and harassment.”
“Yesterday’s NSRS session is another proof that Mr. Dodik does not care about the people of this country, including the residents of Republika Srpska, and that he is ready to sacrifice the prosperity of his constituents for his own political and financial interests. The United States strongly supports territorial integrity, sovereignty and multi-ethnic character of Bosnia and Herzegovina and will continue to use the means at their disposal in response to anti-Dayton activities.”, it was stated from the US embassy.
