Bosnia Serb MPs adopt parallel election law criticised by OSCE, EU

"These actions go against the constitutional order of Bosnia and Herzegovina by establishing parallel structures that undermine the overall security and stability of the country," the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) said in a statement. Last month, the Serb Republic's separatist president, Milorad Dodik, announced that Serbs would block the work of Bosnia's national government unless election laws imposed by Schmidt are annulled, and instead adopt its own election law.

The parliament of Bosnia's autonomous Serb Republic on Friday adopted a law that creates a parallel electoral system in the Balkan country, a move international organisations say will undermine existing nation-wide legislation. The Serb Republic adopted its law after Bosnia's international peace overseer imposed election law reforms that are designed to ensure the integrity of elections through technical improvements, such as electronic scanning. The country's rival ethnic leaders had failed to agree on them.

The Bosnian Serbs do not recognise former German politician Christian Schmidt as the international High Representative in Bosnia, saying he was not endorsed by the UN Security Council, and oppose his decisions. Under a peace accord that ended war in the 1990s, Bosnia consists of the Serb-dominated Serb Republic and the Federation shared by Bosniaks and Croats, which are linked by a weak central government.

The new election law provides that Serb Republic institutions, which have yet to be established, will organise local elections in the region instead of the central election commission (CIK). "These actions go against the constitutional order of Bosnia and Herzegovina by establishing parallel structures that undermine the overall security and stability of the country," the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) said in a statement.

Last month, the Serb Republic's separatist president, Milorad Dodik, announced that Serbs would block the work of Bosnia's national government unless election laws imposed by Schmidt are annulled, and instead adopt its own election law. The lawmakers also adopted a law providing immunity from criminal prosecution to high government officials while performing their tasks. Dodik is on trial for defying Schmidt's decisions.

The European Union has warned against the adoption of these laws, saying it was a step backwards after the bloc last month opened accession negotiations for Bosnia pending further reforms.

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