The National Assembly of Republika Srpska is a place where there are many different opinions, but one cannot vote against acts aimed at defending Republika Srpska. Leading a sovereign policy has always been difficult, but we have no right to jeopardize it with our decisions. Our personal comfort must come second to the interests of Srpska, said Nenad Stevandić, President of the National Assembly of Republika Srpska.
Speaking as a guest on RTRS Morning Program, Stevandić emphasized that the interference of the BiH Prosecutor’s Office in the work of legislative bodies represents a violation of the constitutional order and stressed that deputies have immunity.
“What is decided in parliament can only be interpreted by the Constitutional Court. Anything else is an attack on the constitutional order,” said Stevandić.
Stevandić reiterated that the National Assembly of Republika Srpska is autonomous, sovereign, and independent, while deputies are protected by immunity and the status of the Srpska Parliament. They are accountable only to the people who elect them and to the majority that defines the policies.
“Leading a sovereign policy has always been difficult, but our comfort comes second to the interests of Srpska. Everything coming from Sarajevo is part of hybrid warfare, and we must expose it and carefully assess the situation before making any decisions,” Stevandić stated.
He explained that a joint working group composed of ruling and opposition parties drafted a set of about 10 conclusions by 11 a.m., only for the SDS and PDP parties to start withdrawing from the group around 3 p.m., saying they might not even vote.
“It was obvious they were in some sort of external communication. I told them, if you belong to Republika Srpska, you are accountable to your voters. You must state what you disagree with instead of bringing us into a situation where we facilitate the session for you, only for you to withdraw from it. They were making excuses to avoid voting. Even at 3 a.m., they asked for a 20-minute break. I gave them a 5-minute break, after which they returned to the hall and voted. They must have realized that not voting would have been an unpatriotic act,” said Stevandić.
The National Assembly of Republika Srpska is a place where different opinions exist, but no one can vote against acts aimed at defending Republika Srpska, emphasized Stevandić.
Source: RTRS
