RS CC accepts Bosniak request, RS referendum decision within a month

The Council for the Protection of Vital National Interest of the RS Constitutional Court announced Monday that it had reviewed the admissibility of the Bosniak Caucus’s request, which seeks to establish whether the vital national interests of the Bosniak people were violated by the adoption of the disputed acts. These include the Law on Amendments to the Law on Referendum and Citizens’ Initiative, its early entry into force, and the Decision on Calling a Referendum, also with early entry into force.

The RS National Assembly passed the measures by majority vote during its 24th special session on August 22. The Council said it has determined the requests are admissible, as the procedures on vital national interest were carried out in line with Amendment LXXXII to the RS Constitution, which supplements Article 70. It further concluded that all procedural requirements for a substantive ruling have been met, meaning decisions will be delivered within the constitutionally mandated one-month timeframe.

Under the contested law, a referendum in Republika Srpska can be conducted by a commission of the RS National Assembly or an ad hoc commission. The decision sets October 25 as the referendum date, with the question: “Do you accept the decisions of the unelected foreign Christian Schmidt and the rulings of the unconstitutional Court of BiH against the RS President, as well as the decision of the CEC to revoke the mandate of the RS President Milorad Dodik?”

The adoption of the law and referendum decision followed the Central Election Commission of BiH’s move to revoke Milorad Dodik’s mandate as RS President, after the Court of BiH issued a final ruling barring him from public office for six years.