Speaker of the Republika Srpska National Assembly, Nedeljko Cubrilovic, has said that US sanctions imposed against Republika Srpska President Milorad Dodik are unacceptable and do not lead towards solution and progress, and stressed that the disagreements should be resolved through a dialogue, respecting the rule of law.
“This is not the first time that the sanctions are imposed against an official of Republika Srpska. We faced sanctions in the past too, including dismissal of a Republika Srpska president and National Assembly speaker. The continuity of sanctions proved it never led to progress, either social or economic, as well as to the strengthening of democratic capacities”, said Cubrilovic.
He has pointed out that all disagreements and problems can be resolved only through dialogue, announced the Public Relations Department of the National Assembly of Republika Srpska.
Cubrilovic has added that it is worrying that the sanctions, as a rigid and undemocratic measure, are imposed over the respect for highest democratic institute, such as a referendum.
According to him, one of the US administration’s conditions offered to the Srpska president, according to his own statement, was to suspend the drafting of legislation aiming at the reform of the Constitutional Court of BiH, as provided for by the Constitution of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the replacement of international with BiH judges.
“If the authorities of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Republika Srpska are elected in democratic elections, how it is possible to revoke their democratic right to propose amendments to the law in their own country. This is not the reason for sanctions. I particularly want to emphasize that all Republika Srpska based political parties share this position,” said Cubrilovic.
He has added that the request which Dodik received from representatives of the US administration to prevent the publication of the referendum results in the “Official Gazette of Republika Srpska” is undemocratic since the publication of the results of a democratic voice of Srpska citizens’ opinion is a legal obligation.
“Noone in this country, not even the Srpska president, is not entitled to breach the law regardless of who set the requirements,” said Cubrilovic.
He once again called for dialogue and respect for the democratic will of the people expressed in the elections, stressing that a solution to all outstanding issues can be achieved only through dialogue and equal respect for the positions of all stakeholders of political life in both BiH and Republika Srpska.
“We want the communications, not isolation. Punishing legally elected representatives of Republika Srpska government in such manner is an attack on the top Srpska political bodies and a pressure on Republika Srpska, which, in the context of protection of its constitutional position and complex relations in BiH and the region, is facing numerous challenges” said Cubrilovic.
According to him, the time of sanctions and punishment has passed. “The relations should be built through dialogue and respect for the rule of law and the basic principles of international law,” added Cubrilovic.
He has expressed the expectation that this situation will be resolved in a positive way and that the US will continue to protect the Dayton Peace Agreement and build good relations with Republika Srpska and its officials, for peace and stability in BiH and the region.
“Intensifying tensions in the relations would not be good. The situation needs to calm down and the problem should be solved in direct communication with representatives of the US administration in order to remove all misunderstandings,” concluded Cubrilovic.
Source: Srna
