High worldwide representatives in Bosnia have warned {that a} newly-approved legislation within the Serb-run entity, which makes libel a felony offense, stands opposite to the Balkan nation’s proclaimed European Union path
Serbian Orthodox Church Patriarch Porfirije, heart, speaks with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, left, and Bosnian Serb chief Milorad Dodik in Belgrade, Serbia, Thursday, July 20, 2023. They talked concerning the scenario within the area and upcoming necessary conferences between the delegations of the Republic of Serbia and the Republic of Srpska.(AP Picture/Darko Vojinovic)
The Related Press
SARAJEVO, Bosnia-Herzegovina — High worldwide representatives in Bosnia on Friday warned {that a} newly-approved legislation within the Serb-run entity, which makes libel a felony offense, stands opposite to the Balkan nation’s proclaimed European Union path.
“Adjustments to the Prison Code of Republika Srpska that recriminalize defamation characterize an assault on civil liberties attribute of authoritarian regimes,” stated the Workplace of Excessive Consultant, or OHR.
“These modifications are additionally a step backward on the trail in the direction of EU membership, as it’s not consistent with the 14 key priorities outlined within the European Fee’s opinion,” the assertion added.
The legislation was handed within the parliament of Republika Srpska on Thursday, championed by pro-Russian Bosnian Serb President Milorad Dodik, who has confronted U.S. and British sanctions for his separatist insurance policies.
It amends the prevailing felony legislation to reintroduce fines of as much as 60,000 euros ($64,000) for libel — far past what most individuals within the impoverished Balkan nation pays.
A earlier legislation didn’t take into account libel a felony offense.
Republika Srpska is the title for the Serb half of Bosnia whereas the opposite half is run by Bosniaks, who’re primarily Muslim, and Croats. The 2 entities had been created in a peace deal that ended Bosnia’s 1992-95 warfare after greater than 100,000 individuals had been killed.
In a separate assertion late on Thursday, the United Nations, the Group for Safety and Cooperation in Europe, the Council of Europe and the EU Workplace stated they had been “dismayed that the Republika Srpska Nationwide Meeting in the present day re-criminalized defamation.”
“Freedom of expression is a elementary proper and a elementary European worth,” the assertion stated. “This transfer contravenes the worldwide human rights commitments of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and is inconsistent with its European path.”
Bosnia is looking for EU entry however the Bosnian Serb separatist drive and interior political bickering have stalled the hassle.
Bosnian Serb journalists have held quite a few protests in opposition to the libel modification. Dodik and his ruling Alliance of Unbiased Social Democrats have sought to tighten their maintain on energy within the Serb-run mini-state.
