ČAVOŠKI: TIME IS RIGHT FOR THE ADOPTION OF NEW SRPSKA CONSTITUTION

BANJA LUKA, MARCH 31 /SRNA/ - Member of the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts /SANU/ Kosta Čavoški believes that in the current geopolitical circumstances it is the right time for Republika Srpska to start with the adoption a new constitution and pursue its original competencies, such as the army and border control.

Čavoški, who as a legal expert once participated in the development the first Republika Srpska Constitution, told SRNA the public discussions that started today in Republika Srpska on the Draft Constitution are positive.

"It is enough that the Republika Srpska bodies, which adopt a new constitution, adhere to the original Dayton Peace Agreement, according to which the Republic is sovereign. There is no dispute!" Čavoški emphasized.

He noted that, according to the Dayton Peacr Agreement, a small number of joint bodies such as the Presidency of BiH, the Parliamentary Assembly, the Council of Ministers, even the Constitutional Court were foreseen, without court at the level of BiH.

"So, as far as I can see the new constitution of Republika Srpska should be like its first constitution, nothing more," Čavoški pointed out.

He assessed that the adoption of a new constitution and such a "norm on paper" in a real sense will not strengthen the position of Republika Srpska that much, but will strengthen its economic and military strength.

Adoption of a new constitution of Republika Srpska was proposed in order to protect its constitutional position, considering that in the past 29 years, the legal system of BiH has been collapsed and retailored, and that there has been a significant expansion of the BiH competences by unconstitutional transfer from the entities.

The draft new constitution reads that Republika Srpska has the right to self-determination and can join together in complex federal or confederal state unions with neighbouring and other states or a group of states.

The new constitution stipulates that Banja Luka will be the capital of Republika Srpska, while the status of the capital will be given to Eastern Sarajevo with its headquarters in Pale