PUBLIC EXPECTS NEW CONSTITUTION FOR REPUBLIKA SRPSKA

PALE, OCTOBER 15 /SRNA/ - Lawyer Ognjen Tadić said that the public expects work to continue on the major task of drafting a new Constitution of Republika Srpska, a decision on which was adopted by the National Assembly during the previous term, and that Republika Srpska should enter a new phase of constitutional and legal development.

"The constitutional and legal development of Republika Srpska has strong and healthy roots in the sovereign will of our people," Tadić told SRNA.

He recalled that there had been several attempts to obstruct this development through foreign and unlawful interventions and undemocratic pressure.

"During the previous term, the National Assembly adopted a decision to begin consolidating these issues and drafting a new text of the Constitution of Republika Srpska," Tadić said.

Tadić noted that the public therefore rightly expects this major undertaking to continue and provisions to be defined that will represent a new phase in the constitutional and legal development of Republika Srpska.

President Milorad Dodik said the plan was to proclaim a new Constitution of Republika Srpska on January 9. He said it would be modern, respect the constituent status of the peoples and prevent abuses in the functioning of Republika Srpska.

Dodik also stressed that the new Constitution would state that Banja Luka is the capital of Republika Srpska and Pale its constitutional seat.