The president of the National Assembly of Republika Srpska, Nenad Stevandić, responded to the Bosniak member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Denis Bećirović, stating that the Law on the Use of the Flag, Coat of Arms, and Anthem of Republika Srpska is aligned with previous rulings of the Constitutional Court and that legal modus cannot be challenged through political hatred.
Stevandić believes that Bećirović’s request for a constitutional review of the Law on Amendments to the Law on the Use of the Flag, Coat of Arms, and Anthem of Republika Srpska, which was submitted to the incomplete Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina, is an expression of political hatred and disregard, not towards Serb symbols, but towards Republika Srpska itself.
“This is because Republika Srpska has not yet officially decided which symbols it will use, nor is this explicitly stated in the law. Instead, it introduces the right to use symbols without negating or changing the current emblems and anthem, which continue to be used and have been deemed acceptable by both the Constitutional Courts of Republika Srpska and Bosnia and Herzegovina,” said Stevandić.
He emphasized that this is a matter where the right cannot be disputed.
“This concerns a legal right, not an imposition. Bećirović wants to use the court to annul our rights in order to impose his own. We do not do this to the Bosniaks, nor will we allow them to do it to us,” Stevandić stated.
He sees this move as a calculated attempt to deepen divisions among the people and complicate the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina, particularly at a time when a major crisis is beginning.
“We do not insult other people’s dates of birth, anthems, holidays, or the flags they display at their ceremonies, and we will not allow anyone to insult ours. We are not a rootless people here; this is our ancient homeland. The first coats of arms, including those featuring lilies, belonged to Serb kings, nobles, princes, and chieftains. It is unfortunate that all of this predates Bećirović and his perception of nationhood, symbols, heraldry, and the anthem,” Stevandić concluded.
Bosniak member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Denis Bećirović, submitted a request today to the incomplete Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina for a review of the constitutionality of the Law on Amendments to the Law on the Use of the Flag, Coat of Arms, and Anthem of Republika Srpska.
The National Assembly of Republika Srpska adopted amendments to this law on November 5 last year, allowing for the display of flags and coats of arms, as well as the performance of national anthems of foreign states with which Republika Srpska has signed agreements on special and parallel relations.
The law, proposed by Stevandić, also provides the possibility of displaying flags and coats of arms and performing national anthems of foreign states with which certain or all constituent peoples or other citizens of Republika Srpska share common historical, cultural, and traditional heritage.
Source: RTRS
