Politicians from Bosnia's Republika Srpska (RS) entity slammed the international envoy's decision to impose the genocide denial ban in Bosnia and Herzegovina, warning that this might cause “political chaos” in the country.

A few days before he leaves the office and hands over the duty to German envoy Christian Schmidt, outgoing High Representative Valentin Inzko imposed amendments to the Criminal Code of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which among other things stipulate the prison of up to five years for genocide denial.

On the contrary to those in the Bosniak-Croat shared Federation (FBiH) entity, the politicians and officials in the Serb-majority RS condemned such a decision.

Branislav Borenovic, the opposition PDP party leader, said that Valenin Inzko “wants to turn off the last remaining light in this country” and assessed that this law might “lead to political chaos in BiH with immense consequences.”

“This is a very harmful political attempt to impose a law solution that will lead to political chaos in this country,” said Borenovic, adding that this is a law that is impossible to be implemented.

“This is politically catastrophic,” he added.

Deputy Speaker of Bosnia's House of Peoples Nikola Spiric noted that Inzko managed to raise the tensions ahead of his departure from BiH and to “jeopardize a common future of people in BiH.”

Further steps of the officials elected in the RS will be known after the institutions in this entity make an official stance on this matter.

And RS National Assembly Speaker Nedeljko Cubrilovic already summoned political leaders for consultations, scheduled for Monday.

The invitation said that the politicians are expected to harmonise a stance on the High Representative's decision.

Milorad Dodik, the Serb member of Bosnia's tripartite Presidency, earlier said that the international envoy's decision to impose the genocide denial ban means “the last nail in Bosnia and Herzegovina's coffin,” and he announced “institutional response” of the Republika Srpska entity to that decision.