Republika Srpska court referendum, 2016

A referendum on the authority of the National Court will be held in Republika Srpska. It was originally planned to be held on 15 November 2015,^[1] but was postponed due to a court challenge by Bosniak members of parliament.^[2] Voters will be asked whether the National Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina should have authority over residents of the Republika Srpska.

In February 2016, the referendum was indefinitely postponed.^[3]

Background

The referendum was proposed by Republika Srpska President Milorad Dodik, who claimed that the National Court was biased against Bosnian Serbs.^[4]

A vote on holding the referendum was subsequently held in the National Assembly; 45 voted in favour, 31 abstained and the remaining seven MPs were absent.^[4]

However, Bosniak and Croat politicians began the process of attempting to suspend the referendum with the support of the High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina, claiming it was a violation of the Dayton Agreement.^[5][6] However, the Constitutional Court of Republika Srpska approved the holding of the referendum.^[1]

References

1. Bosnian Serbs Set Date for Controversial Referendum Balkan Insight, 25 September 2015
2. Fear and loaning in Bosnia and Herzegovina: Republika Srpska’s controversial referendum Open Democracy, 25 November 2015
3. http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/article/bosnian-serb-leader-puts-controversial-referendum-on-hold--02-09-2016
4. Bosnia's Serbs vote for referendum on national court BBC News, 16 July 2015
5. "OHR and the Constitutional Court have to stop the referendum in RS". Klix.ba. Retrieved 25 September 2015.
6. "Bosniak representatives submitted an appeal to the Constitutional Court because of the decision on holding a referendum in RS". klix.ba. Retrieved 25 September 2015.