Republika Srpska adopts law introducing reserve police force

While the ruling authorities argue the move will enhance security during emergencies, particularly humanitarian crises, the opposition harshly criticized the law, calling it pointless and politically motivated, accusing the government of attempting to create a “party militia” loyal to the SNSD (Alliance of Independent Social Democrats).

“The situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina is tense, and there is a climate of fear. This is the worst possible time for such a move,” said Ognjen Bodiroga, head of the Serb Democratic Party (SDS) parliamentary caucus.

RS Interior Minister Sinisa Karan defended the legislation, stating it would “raise the level of security in times of emergency, especially during humanitarian crises”.

However, opposition representatives from the Serb Democratic Party (SDS) and the Party of Democratic Progress (PDP) voiced strong scepticism during the emergency parliamentary session. They warned that the law lacks substance and represents a political manoeuvre by the ruling SNSD.

Bojan Kresojevic, a PDP MP, questioned the justification behind the law, noting that the Ministry of Interior cited frequent humanitarian and natural disasters as a reason for introducing a reserve force.

“Yes, we need an institutional response, but we don’t even have commodity reserves. Introducing a reserve police force in this context is absurd. It’s like making a cake when all you have is a strawberry, no sponge, no cream,” said Kresojevic.

He added he doubts the true intent of the reserve force is to strengthen the state.

“It’s as senseless as the proposal to allocate 50 million Bosnian marks (approximately €25.5 million) for lobbying from the RS budget, just months after expelling EU ministers from the entity,” Kresojevic concluded.