DODIK: PROCLAIMING NEW CONSTITUTION ON JANUARY 9 PLANNED

BANJA LUKA, OCTOBER 14 /SRNA/ – President Milorad Dodik stated that the plan is to proclaim a new Republika Srpska Constitution on January 9, which will be modern, respect the constituent status of the peoples and prevent abuses in the functioning of Srpska.

"We plan to proclaim a new Constitution of Republika Srpska on January 9. If we do not manage to do so by then, we will see whether it can be done on another date," Dodik said.

He stated that the new constitution should be modern, respect the constituent status of the peoples and prevent abuses in the functioning of Republika Srpska.

"No one will suppress the Serbs, Croats or Bosniaks, but it will make it possible for a qualified democratic majority to be reflected through a system in which everyone should essentially be heard, their position made known, and what is reasonable," Dodik told RTRS.

He emphasized that the announced constitutional changes were not directed against Bosniaks, but rather against the abuse of institutional mechanisms and abuses by Sarajevo.

Dodik said the new arrangements should enable more efficient decision-making, adding that the working methods and powers of the Council of Peoples of Republika Srpska would be redefined.

He emphasized that the new Constitution will stipulate that Banja Luka is the capital of Republika Srpska, while Pale is its seat of government.