EU reaffirms support for Bosnia’s sovereignty amid RS legal moves

Soreca stated that unilateral actions aimed at undermining the competencies of state institutions are unacceptable. He further highlighted the importance of exhausting all domestic legal mechanisms to uphold Bosnia’s constitutional order. In that context, he acknowledged the recent legal challenge submitted to the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

His comments come just a day after Republika Srpska President Milorad Dodik signed decrees bringing into force a series of controversial laws that effectively prohibit the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Prosecutor's Office, the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council (HJPC), the State Investigation and Protection Agency (SIPA), and the Intelligence-Security Agency (OSA) from operating in RS territory. Additionally, Dodik signed decrees enacting the entity’s own HJPC law, a law on the registration and transparency of non-profit organizations (commonly referred to as the “foreign agents law”), as well as amendments to the RS Criminal Code, which introduce prison sentences for individuals who fail to implement decisions made by RS institutions.

These decrees were officially published in the RS Official Gazette on Wednesday night.

Meanwhile, RS National Assembly Speaker Nenad Stevandic has scheduled a meeting of political party representatives to discuss drafting a new Constitution for Republika Srpska. The meeting is set for 4:00 p.m. at the RS National Assembly. However, several opposition parties, including the Serb Democratic Party (SDS), Nebojša Vukanović, and the People's Front, have refused to participate.

The EU has repeatedly called for adherence to Bosnia’s constitutional framework and legal system, stressing that any unilateral moves to weaken state institutions pose a serious risk to the country's stability and EU aspirations.