Bosnian Serbs call on judge to resign due to controversial property law against Serb entity

BELGRADE, Serbia

Senior Serb officials in Bosnia and Herzegovina called Wednesday for the Serbian judge in the Constitutional Court to step down.

The move came after the National Assembly of the Republika Srpska (NSRS), one of two entities in Bosnia and Herzegovina, held a session on the longstanding controversial immovable property law.

The representatives of political parties in the assembly also approved a resolution not to apply the decisions taken by the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The resolutions were adopted by 47 council members, while two members opposed and 11 members abstained.

Assembly President Nenad Stevandic said after the session there will be no judges from the Serb entity.

''All decisions of the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina will be justified in the RS, even if they are legal,” said Stevandic.

The Republika Srpska Assembly on Monday adopted an action plan for working in state institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Representatives of political parties in the NSRS met in the administrative capital of the entity, Banja Luka, to sign a declaration on the immovable property law.

The officials signed a statement containing the action plan and stance of Serbs working in institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Bosnia and Herzegovina's Constitutional Court repealed a controversial immovable property law in the RS entity in early March.

The court's ruling came after the High Representative of 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 management authority of public properties belongs to the entity and 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 according to the Dayton peace treaty, which ended the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina, RS said the administration of the properties is also its own under the said law.