The draft Republika Srpska laws on immunity and referenda and civic initiatives, adopted today in first reading, run counter to the EU path of Bosnia and Herzegovina. We call on the delegates in the RS National Assembly to reconsider and not move forward with these draft laws.

The RS draft law on immunity would curtail the judicial accountability of political representatives, and its retroactive application would challenge legal certainty. As such, its final adoption would affect the rule of law. We recall that, as foreseen in Annex 10 of the Dayton Peace Agreements, “the Parties shall fully cooperate with the High Representative”.

Regarding the Draft Law on referenda and civic initiatives, the EU is seriously concerned about legislation and initiatives in the Republika Srpska entity that run counter to the EU path of Bosnia and Herzegovina, including secessionist rhetoric and questioning the constitutional order of the country. The EU emphasizes that the sovereignty, territorial integrity, constitutional order and international personality of Bosnia and Herzegovina need to be maintained. Any action against these principles will lead to serious consequences.

The EU urges all political actors in Bosnia and Herzegovina to refrain from provocative and divisive rhetoric and actions, in particular those that call into question the country's sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity. The EU reiterates its unequivocal commitment to Bosnia and Herzegovina’s EU perspective as a single, united and sovereign country.