The laws adopted by the parliamentary majority represent a revenge attack on all critical voices in the Republic of Srpska, and above all on associations of citizens that are not under the control of the government, the media and opposition voices.
The undersigned civil society organizations point out that by adopting yesterday the so-called “Law on Foreign Agents”, which has been threatened for many years, the government has created the preconditions for the systematic persecution of dissenters.
Also, the adoption of amendments to the Criminal Code, which seek to force state-level deputies, judicial office holders and other employees from institutions of BiH to blindly obey the decisions of the ruling majority in the RS, represents a brutal attack on the foundations of democracy in this country. The adoption took place in an atmosphere of lynching and persecution that has been created by government representatives for a long time, and culminated in last night’s attack by an advisor to the President of the RS on journalists, which we condemn most strongly.
The Law on a Special Register and Transparency of the Work of Non-Profit Organizations was adopted under an urgent procedure and with the explanation that failure to adopt it “creates the preconditions for the collapse of the constitutional order”. In this way the government has targeted numerous media outlets and organizations that it had previously labeled as “enemies”.
The law was adopted as a form of revenge and part of a package of responses to the verdict against Milorad Dodik, thus laying bare all the platitudes that have been put forward so far that the goal of this law is to “increase transparency and prohibit political work of associations”. We note that the institutions of the Republic of Srpska can now control the financial and any other operations of civil society organizations.
Also, associations are prohibited from political activity under the existing law, but in previous years it obviously did not apply to non-government organizations under the control of the government that are financed from the budget and that openly supported parties and candidates in the elections. This law will affect all organizations that are financed from international sources in the Republic of Srpska and will automatically bear the label of “foreign agents”, even though the government in the RS is also financed from the same sources.
Likewise, this law prohibits all associations that have independent funding from proposing laws or “influencing public opinion”, precisely because they point out numerous problems in this society.
This law is the basis for any association that does not please the government to be attacked by various vague provisions and arbitrary interpretations, and ultimately to be shut down under the pretext of being politically active or undermining the constitutional order.
Anyone can be targeted, from those fighting for human rights and against corruption to sports organizations, women’s rights associations, trade unions, consumer protection associations and humanitarian organizations. This law will have incalculable consequences for numerous organizations that have been helping citizens in various ways for many years through social assistance, protection from violence and abusers, humanitarian actions, providing legal aid, etc. We especially emphasize that the amendments to the Criminal Code represent an unacceptable attack on the fundamental values of democracy, with which the ruling majority wants to keep delegates, judges, prosecutors, officials and other employees of the institutions of BiH under control.
These laws are interfering with the constitutions of Republic of Srpska and Bosnia and Herzegovina, the European Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms and are not in line with the most important international standards. This will not only lead to the closure or banning of associations and the suppression of critical voices, but will also produce negative economic consequences through the isolation of RS, the halting of European integration and the reduction of investments.
Therefore, we call on the delegates to the House of Peoples to stop the adoption of these restrictive laws and appeal to the authorities to restrain from this and other revenge actions they are announcing.
The statement is signed by:
1. Banja Luka Centre for Human Rights
2. Centre for Democracy and Transitional Justice, Banja Luka
3. Center for Civic Cooperation, Livno
4. Youth Center KVART, Prijedor
5. Center for Informational Decontamination of Youth
6. Center for Civil Society Promotion, CCSP
7. Center for Media Development and Analysis, CMDA
8. Centre for Environment
9. Centers for Civic Initiatives, CCI
10. Foundation “Lara”, Bijeljina
11. Foundation “United Women”, Banja Luka
12. Foundation of Local Democracy
13. Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly Banja Luka
14. Humanitarian Organization “Genesis Project”
15. Human Rights House Banja Luka
16. Youth Organization “Centar” Mrkonjić Grad
17. Sharp Zero
18. Network for Building Peace
19. Workers’ Solidarity
20. Restart Srpska
21. Rosen Method Center BiH
22. Transparency International in BiH
23. Association “Novi put”, Mostar
24. Association of Citizens “Mikro mreža”, Gradiška
25. Association of Citizens “Buducnost”
26. Association “IMPULS”
27. Association Dignitet
28. Association of Citizens eTrafika.net
29. Association of Citizens RS “Stop mobbing”
30. Association for Independent Creators and Activists GETO
31. Association of Paraplegics and Patients with Polio Velika Kladuša
32. Association Umbrella
33. Association Val
34. Association for the Promotion of European Standards and Improvement of the Business Environment Banja Luka
35. Association for the Promotion of Media Freedoms, Critical and Investigative Journalism (SKIN)/Valterportal
36. Animal Protection Association Vardi
37. Association of Women “Make a Difference”
38. Association of Women Plane Makljenovac
39. AC SEMPER – Portal Gerila
40. Association “Women’s Vision“ Tuzla
41. Hi Neighbour
Photo: Pixabay
