DRAFT CONSTITUTION OF SRPSKA ADOPTED

BANJA LUKA, MARCH 13 /SRNA/ - The National Assembly of Republika Srpska adopted tonight the Draft Constitution of Republika Srpska and the Law on the Protection of the Constitutional Order of Srpska.

50 MPs voted for the Draft Constitution, and eight voted against it. At the proposal of the Speaker of the Srpska National Assembly Nenad Stevandić, a conclusion was adopted on the acceptance of the request for arbitration settlement of the dispute. It was adopted that the Draft Constitution of Srpska is put into public discussion for 30 days. The draft of the new constitution states that Republika Srpska has the right to self-determination and can join together in complex federal or confederal state unions with neighboring and other states or a group of states. The new constitution foresees the introduction of the Army of Republika Srpska, the abolition of the Council of Peoples of Republika Srpska and the vice president. It is also planned for Banja Luka to be the capital of Republika Srpska, while East Sarajevo, with its seat in Pale, will receive the status of the capital. The draft of the new constitution defines that the Constitutional Court of Republika Srpska decides on the application of laws and acts of BiH authorities on the territory of Srpska. In the basic provisions, Republika Srpska is defined as a sovereign, unique and indivisible constitutional subject, confirmed by the will of the people and the General Framework Agreement for Peace of BiH, as an international treaty, and the Constitution of BiH. It was stated that Republika Srpska is defined as the state of the Serb people and all peoples and citizens who live in it. Among other things, it stipulates that the National Assembly and the Government of Srpska can suspend the implementation of any act, measure or activity of bodies and institutions at the BiH level, which have no basis in the Constitution of BiH. Laws that are not under the exclusive jurisdiction of Bosnia and Herzegovina or that did not result from entity agreements do not produce legal effect in Srpska. It is stipulated that the laws passed by the BiH Parliamentary Assembly will be applied on the territory of Srpska only after they have been confirmed by the National Assembly of Republika Srpska. When it comes to the territory of Republika Srpska, Article 7 states that it is unique, indivisible and inalienable in accordance with the Agreement on the border line between the entities, while the territory of Brčko District is the joint property of Republika Srpska and FBiH and that status cannot be changed without their consent. The Law on the Protection of the Constitutional Order of Republika Srpska, proposed by the President of Srpska, effectively protects the constitutional order and provides for the establishment of a special prosecutor's office and a special court of Srpska. In connection with this law, the amendment of the club of SNSD deputies was also adopted, according to which the Law establishes the Service for the Protection of the Constitutional Order of Republika Srpska with its seat in Banja Luka. According to the amendment, the Service for the Protection of the Constitutional Order of Srpska is competent to carry out tasks related to: data collection and prevention of activities aimed at undermining or destroying the constitutional order and security of Srpska, research, collection, processing and analysis of data and knowledge of importance for the security of Srpska and informing competent republican bodies and institutions about such data, as well as other tasks determined by law. The Speaker of the Srpska National Assembly Nenad Stevandić concluded the 20th special session of the Parliament of Srpska.