CVIJANOVIĆ: PRACTICE OF OUTVOTING SERB MEMBERS OF THE PRESIDENCY MUST BE STOPPED

BANJA LUKA, JULY 7 /SRNA/ - Serb member of the Presidency of BiH Željka Cvijanović called on members of the National Assembly of Republika Srpska to support, by a two-thirds majority, the protection of the Serb cultural heritage and her veto of the decision by Presidency Chairman Denis Bećirović on the appointment of members of the Commission to Preserve National Monuments of BiH, stressing that the practice of outvoting Serb members of that institution must finally be brought to an end.

Addressing a special session of the National Assembly of Republika Srpska, Cvijanović stressed that, on this issue as on every other, she would always protect the interests of Republika Srpska and the Serb people.

"Credible individuals should be appointed to that Commission, which political Sarajevo is trying to turn into a single-ethnic body, if it is to exist at all. It can exist provided it is made up of honest and credible people who will not usurp the powers of others but will serve other institutions, rather than acting in a manner contrary to the Dayton Agreement," Cvijanović said.

She warned that, unfortunately, at the Presidency session she had even been prevented from convening, in accordance with the Rules of Procedure, an extraordinary session at which the decision on the appointment of members of the Commission to Preserve National Monuments would have been reconsidered.

"Faruk Kapidžić, a member of the Commission to Preserve National Monuments, submitted his resignation more than 20 months ago due to a conflict of interest, a fact that Presidency Chairman Denis Bećirović failed to disclose to the other members of the Presidency. This only came to light after the competent authorities made inquiries and launched an investigation to clarify the circumstances of the situation.

"In addition to concealing the resignation of Commission member Faruk Kapidžić from the Presidency of BiH, Bećirović proposed as a new member a person who is under investigation by the competent authorities for alleged abuse of office and authority during his tenure with the Commission to Preserve National Monuments," Cvijanović warned.

She concluded that all the aforementioned circumstances indicate that the decision in question was not adopted in accordance with the Constitution of BiH, Annex 8 of the Dayton Peace Agreement and the constitutional principle of collective conduct of foreign policy.

She added that its entry into force would have lasting consequences for the constitutional position of Republika Srpska, the equality of the constituent peoples and the protection of their cultural and historical heritage.

"Therefore, based on all of the above, it follows that the decision of the Presidency of BiH, adopted without consensus at its 30th regular session held on June 29, 2026, is highly detrimental to the vital interests of Republika Srpska. I call on you to uphold the Statement of Declaration by a two-thirds majority within ten days of its submission. By confirming the statement in the manner described, the disputed decision of the Presidency of BiH will not enter into force," Cvijanović stressed at the 40th special session of the National Assembly of Republika Srpska, at which MPs will vote on her veto of the decision by Presidency Chairman Denis Bećirović on the appointment of members of the Commission to Preserve National Monuments of BiH.

She said that UNESCO, which is aware of the long-standing problems affecting the Commission's functioning, had refused to delegate members until it received guarantees that the Commission would not, as had been the case so far, deal with matters related to planning and construction.

"Regardless of all the efforts and abuses, Presidency Chairman Denis Bećirović has never established any interaction with the Director-General of UNESCO, which is also confirmed by the fact that, contrary to the provisions stipulated by Annex 8 of the Dayton Agreement, the proposal for international members was submitted not by the Director-General of UNESCO, but by the head of UNESCO's local office in BiH. This further implies that the procedure was not carried out in accordance with the international agreement and seriously calls into question the legality of the entire appointment process," Cvijanović pointed out.