Republika Srpska urges UN to annul laws imposed by High Representatives

The Government of Republika Srpska has submitted a report to the United Nations Security Council calling for the annulment of laws imposed by High Representatives in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The report asserts that such decisions constitute a flagrant and permanent violation of the country’s democratic constitutional order.

According to the document, the Constitution of Bosnia and Herzegovina mandates that the Parliamentary Assembly is the sole body authorized to pass laws at the state level, while entity constitutions reserve law-making powers for their respective democratic institutions. The report argues that Annex 10, which defines the powers of the High Representative, does not grant unlimited authority to impose binding laws on citizens.

The report further claims that even former High Representatives have questioned the legality of these powers. It cites former High Representative Carl Bildt, who questioned the legal basis of the Bonn powers, and Carlos Westendorp, who admitted that the authority to impose laws was not entirely lawful.