GOGANOVIĆ: EUROPEAN PATH MUST NOT BE EXCUSE FOR VIOLATING DAYTON AGREEMENT AND ENTITY RIGHTS

ISTOČNO SARAJEVO, NOVEMBER 11 /SRNA/ - The European path of BiH must not be used as an excuse to violate the Dayton Agreement and entity rights, said Deputy Minister of Defense in the Council of Ministers, Aleksandar Goganović.

"The attempt by the House of Representatives of the BiH Parliamentary Assembly to independently appoint the chief negotiator with the European Union is unconstitutional. The opposition and the Sarajevo political `Troika` cannot represent Republika Srpska because they are not part of the authorities in Srpska, and any attempt to impose a candidate outside of entity rights directly violates the Dayton Agreement and the principles of equality between the entities," Goganović explained. Even if the Parliamentary Assembly of BiH were to make such a decision, Goganović told SRNA, the laws they propose could not pass through the Council of Ministers, because the chief negotiator would not have the legitimacy. "Any attempts to make decisions outside of proper procedures destabilize the joint institutions at the BiH level," Goganović emphasized. He stated that Republika Srpska remains firmly committed to respecting the Dayton Agreement and the legitimate involvement of all levels of government in key decision-making processes. "Only through respect for entity rights and legal procedures can a stable and credible European path for BiH be ensured," Goganović said. He added that Republika Srpska and its leadership are committed to European integration in accordance with the Dayton Peace Agreement, which clearly defines that decisions in BiH are made exclusively in agreement with the three constituent peoples and the two entities, and that, according to the will of the people, Republika Srpska is represented by the SNSD and its coalition partners.