Serb leader slammed for remarks on Republika Srpska's independence

BELGRADE, Serbia

High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina Christian Schmidt on Tuesday slammed Serb leader Milorad Dodik for his remarks that officials are seriously considering the independence of Republika Srpska.

Schmidt's remarks came after Dodik insisted that immovable properties belonged to the entity or he would separate Republika Srpska from Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Dodik is the leader of Republika Srpska, one of the country's two entities, the other being the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

''Bosnia and Herzegovina's sovereignty and territorial integrity cannot be questioned. I do not accept the ugly actions taken in this context,'' Schmidt said at a press conference in Sarajevo.

According to him, the immovable property issue was not fully resolved in the Dayton Peace Treaty, which ended the 1992-1995 war in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

"This is a fundamental issue that needs to be resolved in the country. At this point, the outcome is quite simple… politicians from Bosnia and Herzegovina, please do your job… do it,'' said Schmidt.

In early March, the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina repealed a controversial immovable property law in the Republika Srpska.

The court's ruling came after the High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina suspended the law a day before it was expected to take effect on Feb. 28.

Previously, the Constitutional Court ruled that the entity has management authority over public properties and that property rights belong to the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The high representative has the authority to dismiss anyone who interferes with peace implementation in the country, including members of the Presidential Council, and to pass laws as necessary.

Arguing that the immovable properties belong to the entities under the Dayton Peace Treaty, which ended the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Republika Srpska administration claimed that, in addition to its administrative authority over the properties, it also owns them under the said law.