CVIJANOVIĆ: SRPSKA NATIONAL ASSEMBLY, IN LINE WITH THE CONSTITUTION, BLOCKS ENTRY INTO FORCE OF HARMFUL BiH PRESIDENCY DECISION

ISTOČNO SARAJEVO, JULY 20 /SRNA/ - Serb member of the BiH Presidency Željka Cvijanović said that it is Denis Bećirović's right to address whichever institution he wishes, just as it is her constitutional right to address the National Assembly of Republika Srpska, which she has done.

"This prevents the decision, which I declared to be highly detrimental to the vital interest of Republika Srpska, from entering into force, which was adopted by outvoting the Serb member of the Presidency," Cvijanović told SRNA when asked to comment on Bećirović's appeal to the Constitutional Court of BiH after the National Assembly of Republika Srpska recently upheld the veto of the Serb member of the BiH Presidency regarding the appointment of members of the Commission to Preserve National Monuments. Cvijanović stressed that the National Assembly of Republika Srpska had brought the process of adopting such decisions to an end, in accordance with the Constitution. "In previous appeals submitted to the Constitutional Court of BiH, it declared itself not competent, because this concerns Annex 8 of the Dayton Peace Agreement, which does not fall under the jurisdiction of the Constitutional Court of BiH, rather than Annex 4, which is the Constitution of BiH," Cvijanović said. She explained that "the Commission to Preserve National Monuments was never granted the authority under Annex 8 to interfere in urban planning, planning documentation, to halt or approve construction, or deal with similar issues." "That is why UNESCO also requested guarantees that the foreign representative would not deal with such matters. There is no legal basis for such activities either. Anyone who engages in this, whether a domestic or foreign member, is committing an unlawful act. So, whoever wants to do so, let them go ahead. In addition, I expect the competent authorities to examine whether there has been an abuse of office and whether donor funds were accepted and managed outside the prescribed procedures when it comes to the actions of the executive official or members of the Commission from the FBiH," Cvijanović stressed. According to her, the mandate regarding the designation of monuments was exhausted long ago, which was clearly stated at one point in an analysis by UNESCO itself. "It is clear that the intention here is to create a commission that would, through outvoting, seize property and interfere in matters that are not within its remit. And let me emphasise once again - the National Assembly of Republika Srpska has once again prevented that harmful decision of the Presidency from entering into force," Cvijanović concluded.