Republika Srpska prime minister responded to a joint statement issued by the US, EU, and OHR today, saying that it was not the RS, but rather the international community that was unnecessarily “politicizing” the issue of residency. According to PM Cvijanovic, the RS government’s recent decision to implement certain regulations is completely in line with existing laws, and conforms to the new BiH Law on Residency as well. That law is being held up by Bosniak parties, despite support from the international community.
“It seems to me that IC representatives did not read the existing law or insufficiently studied it before presenting their position,” Cvijanovic told SRNA, commenting on a joint statement from the EU Special Representative to BiH, Peter Sorensen, the EU Delegation to BiH, the US Embassy and the OHR, in which they called for rescinding the provisions on residence at other government levels, “which would end the unnecessary politicisation of this important issue.”
According to the Prime Minister, the decision is technical in nature, and precisely stipulates how the law is to be enforced, both the present and the future one if it is adopted.
“As far as the Republika Srpska Cabinet is concerned, we had earlier called for bringing a law which will meet the security and other conditions which the EU in fact is concerned with,” Cvijanovic said.
She said that the decision is provisional and will be in force until a new law is brought, but that it is not a problem if it is in force while the existing law is in force as it does not contradict it.
