Politics
Bosnia: Serbs vow to quit institutions
Sarajevo, 22 Oct. (AKI) - Bosnian Serb leaders have threatened to quit state institutions and sparked a political crisis in protest over the high representative of the international community (OHR) Miroslav Lajcak’s imposition of new rules on decision-making in parliament and the council of ministers.
Lajcak, a Slovak diplomat, who has wide arbitrary powers in Bosnia, on Friday reduced quota’s for decision-making in parliament and the council of ministers, aimed at unblocking the work of these institutions.
“It is clear to everyone that Bosnia-Herzegovina doesn’t function as a healthy and normal state,” Lajcak said. He accused local politicians of obstructing reforms that are crucial to the success of Bosnia’s bid to join the European Union.
“Today’s measures don’t mean abolition of anyone’s rights or competences, only those who think that their right is to prevent the country from normal functioning can feel jeopardised,” he explained.
But prime minister of the Bosnian Serb entity Republika Srpska (RS), Milorad Dodik, said Lajcak had exceeded his authority, adding that his measures would boost powers of majority Muslims over Serbs and Croats.
According to the Dayton peace accord which ended 1992-1995 civil war, Bosnia was divided into two entities, the RS and a Muslim-Croat federation with most state powers.
But the international community has drastically reduced entities powers for the sake of strengthening central government.
Dodik said Lajcak’s decision was contrary to the Dayton accord and accused the international community of “promoting values” which would “grant a system of domination of Bosniacs (Muslims) over the others”.
“Lajcak’s decision disrupts the ethnic balance established by the Dayton accord and provides for (Muslim) domination, which could trigger a deep crisis and bring into question the survival of Bosnia,” Dodik said.
“Republika Srpska will not resort to armed rebellion, but will democratically rebel against the dictatorship which the international community is imposing in Bosnia-Herzegovina,” Dodik said.
He offered a resignation at Saturday’s meeting of his ruling party in RS, the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats, but the resignation was rejected and he got the approval for his actions.
After the meeting, Dodik said he would demand a withdrawal of all Serb deputies from Bosnian parliament and members of the council of misters, unless Lajcak changed his position. He accused Lajcak of having succumbed to Muslim pressure, saying he had a feeling that “Lajcak was ill advised by someone”.
Lajcak, a Slovak diplomat, who has wide arbitrary powers in Bosnia, on Friday reduced quota’s for decision-making in parliament and the council of ministers, aimed at unblocking the work of these institutions.
“It is clear to everyone that Bosnia-Herzegovina doesn’t function as a healthy and normal state,” Lajcak said. He accused local politicians of obstructing reforms that are crucial to the success of Bosnia’s bid to join the European Union.
“Today’s measures don’t mean abolition of anyone’s rights or competences, only those who think that their right is to prevent the country from normal functioning can feel jeopardised,” he explained.
But prime minister of the Bosnian Serb entity Republika Srpska (RS), Milorad Dodik, said Lajcak had exceeded his authority, adding that his measures would boost powers of majority Muslims over Serbs and Croats.
According to the Dayton peace accord which ended 1992-1995 civil war, Bosnia was divided into two entities, the RS and a Muslim-Croat federation with most state powers.
But the international community has drastically reduced entities powers for the sake of strengthening central government.
Dodik said Lajcak’s decision was contrary to the Dayton accord and accused the international community of “promoting values” which would “grant a system of domination of Bosniacs (Muslims) over the others”.
“Lajcak’s decision disrupts the ethnic balance established by the Dayton accord and provides for (Muslim) domination, which could trigger a deep crisis and bring into question the survival of Bosnia,” Dodik said.
“Republika Srpska will not resort to armed rebellion, but will democratically rebel against the dictatorship which the international community is imposing in Bosnia-Herzegovina,” Dodik said.
He offered a resignation at Saturday’s meeting of his ruling party in RS, the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats, but the resignation was rejected and he got the approval for his actions.
After the meeting, Dodik said he would demand a withdrawal of all Serb deputies from Bosnian parliament and members of the council of misters, unless Lajcak changed his position. He accused Lajcak of having succumbed to Muslim pressure, saying he had a feeling that “Lajcak was ill advised by someone”.
Bookmark whit:
