The referendum announced by
Bosnian Serb nationalist leader Milorad Dodik to seek popular
support and oppose foreign interference in Republika Srpska will
most likely not take place. The vote was announced by Dodik last
summer, initially scheduled for 25 October, and then, following
international pressure, moved to 9 January, the Serbian entity’s
national holiday. But the Bosnian Serb leader did not mention
the referendum again. Dodik had considered the referendum after
his sentence to one year in prison and six years of
disqualification from all political activity for repeated
disobedience to the decisions of the High Representative in BiH,
Christian Schmidt. The sentence (the prison term was commuted to
a fine of €18,000) led to the revocation of Dodik’s mandate as
president of Republika Srpska.
The referendum question is as follows: “Do you accept the
decisions of the unelected foreigner Christian Schmidt and the
unconstitutional rulings of the Bosnia and Herzegovina court
against the president of Republika Srpska, as well as the
decision of the Central Electoral Commission to revoke the
mandate of RS President Milorad Dodik?”
Such a decision on the referendum is also contrary to the
constitution of BiH, which does not provide for the possibility
for entities to independently hold referendum on the decisions
of BiH state institutions. This would be the reason that led
Dodik to abandon the referendum. At the same time, the Bosnian
Serb leader confirmed the solemn celebration of the Republika
Srpska holiday, deemed illegitimate and unconstitutional by the
High Court of BiH.
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