The National Assembly of Republika Srpska (RS) voted Wednesday evening in favor of a decision by RS President Milorad Dodik to call a referendum at which the citizens of this entity would declare whether they support the laws enacted by the high representative for Bosnia-Herzegovina (BiH), particularly those referring to the court and the prosecutor's office.

The decision on referendum will come in force on the next day after its publishing in the RS Official Gazette, while the referendum is to be held in the first week after 45 days of its enforcement.

The RS government will be charge of securing funds and technical support for the implementation of the referendum.

The decision on referendum was supported by 66 MPs, two were against, while seven abstained from voting.

The MPs were also in favor of Dodik's position regarding the work of the court and the prosecutor's office, processing of war crimes in BiH, and the search for the missing persons.

Inzko worried about decision of RS parliament

High Representative for Bosnia-Herzegovina (BiH) Valentin Inzko has stated that the discrediting of the BiH Court ad Prosecutor's Office is causing damage to BiH's progress on the EU path, and thereby to the state's prosperity and stability.

In reaction to the criticism voiced at an early session of the National Assembly of Republika Srpska (RS) in view of the BiH Court ad Prosecutor's Office, Inzko stated on Wednesday evening that that the attempt of the RS parliament to launch a process against the core of the Dayton Treaty is irresponsible.

The entity's attempt to undermine the state law constitutes a violation of the Dayton Treaty, the statement reads, adding that the mandates of the high representative's executive power are determined by Annex 10 of the Dayton Treaty and have been confirmed several times in the UN Security Council.

Incko said that although it is true that the laws enacted by the high representative, and later adopted by the BiH legislative bodies, can be amended. This can be done only within the framework of the determined legislative process and at an appropriate level, he added.

The RS parliament voted Wednesday evening in favor of a decision by RS President Milorad Dodik to call a referendum at which the citizens of this entity would declare whether they support the laws enacted by the high representative for Bosnia-Herzegovina (BiH), particularly those referring to the BiH Court and the Prosecutor's Office.