REC ADOPTS DECISION ON NON-HOLDING OF EARLY ELECTIONS FOR PRESIDENT OF SRPSKA

BANJA LUKA, SEPTEMBER 3 /SRNA/ – The Republika Srpska Election Commission /REC/ adopted today a Decision on the implementation of the conclusion of the Republika Srpska National Assembly regarding the non-holding of early elections for the President of Republika Srpska.

The President of REC Oliver Blagojević has stated today in Banja Luka that the Commission supports the conclusions of the National Assembly of Srpska, which rejected the possibility of holding early elections for the President of Republika Srpska. "REC will fully respect the conclusions of the National Assembly of Republika Srpska. I expect that other bodies, both at the republic and municipal level, will also respect the conclusions of the Assembly concerning early elections and everything else," Blagojević told reporters after a telephone session of REC. He said that, according to the information available to him, no member of city or municipal election commissions has resigned, although relevant institutions had requested it. "They are still appointed by local assemblies and confirmed by the CEC. How they will function remains a big question for me," Blagojević noted. By its conclusions of August 22, the National Assembly of Republika Srpska rejected the possibility of holding early elections for the President of Republika Srpska and requested that all authorities of Srpska and local self-government units refrain from taking any actions related to their implementation. At the same time, the National Assembly of Republika Srpska adopted a decision to call a referendum on the verdict of the unconstitutional Court of BiH against the President of Republika Srpska Milorad Dodik and the decision of the BiH Central Election Commission /CEC/ to terminate his mandate, determining that the referendum will be held on October 25. The referendum question reads: "Do you accept the decisions of the unelected foreigner Christian Schmidt and the verdicts of the unconstitutional Court of BiH against the President of Republika Srpska, as well as the decision of the CEC to revoke the mandate of the President of Srpska Milorad Dodik?"