Politics of Republika Srpska explained

This article is about the politics of the Republika Srpska, one of the two entities that together comprise the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the other being the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Presidents of Republika Srpska

See main article: President of Republika Srpska and List of presidents of Republika Srpska.

National Assembly

The current National Assembly of the Republika Srpska (Народна Скупштина Републике Српске / Narodna Skupština Republike Srpske) is the ninth since the founding of the Republika Srpska.

The political composition of the Tenth Convocation of the National Assembly of Republika Srpska (and the change in number of seats from the Ninth Convocation):

Cabinet

The cabinet is composed of the prime minister and the heads of the sixteen ministries. The National Assembly also selects two deputy prime ministers from among the ministers from different constituent peoples (Serbs, Croats, and Bosniaks) on the recommendation of the prime minister.

The law requires that eight ministers be elected from the Serb population, five from the Bosniak population, and three from the Croat population. The prime minister may also appoint one minister from among the "others" population (out of the largest constituent ethnic group).

Under the Law on Ministries adopted in October 2002, the "tasks of the administration" of Republika Srpska are carried out by ministries, republican administrative units, and republican administrative organizations.

PositionNamePartyEthnicity
Prime Ministerwidth=5px style="background-color:"SNSDSerb
Deputy Prime Minister
Minister for Justice
Anton Kasipovićwidth=5px style="background-color:"SNSDCroat
Deputy Prime Minister
Minister for Spatial Planning, Civil Engineering and Ecology
width=5px style="background-color:"SNSDBosniak
Minister for Internal AffairsDragan Lukačwidth=5px style="background-color:"SNSDSerb
Minister for FinanceZora Vidovićwidth=5px style="background-color:"SNSDSerb
Minister for Health and Social WelfareAlen Šeranićwidth=5px style="background-color:"SNSDBosniak
Minister for Education and CultureNatalija Trivićwidth=5px style="background-color:darkblue"United SrpskaSerb
Minister for Labour, Veterans and Disability Protection Duško Milunovićwidth=5px style="background-color:#ff5555"SocialistSerb
Minister for Administration and Local Government Senka Jujićwidth=5px style="background-color:lightblue"NPSBosniak
Minister for Industry, Energy and MiningPetar Đokićwidth=5px style="background-color: #ff5555"SocialistSerb
Minister for European Integration and International Cooperation Zlatan Klokićwidth=5px style="background-color:"SNSDBosniak
Minister for Family, Youth and SportsSonja Davidovićwidth=5px style="background-color:#ff5555"SocialistBosniak
Minister for Agriculture, Forestry and Water ManagementBoris Pašalićwidth=5px style="background-color:"SNSDSerb
Minister for Transport and CommunicationsNedeljko Ćorićwidth=5px style="background-color:"SNSDSerb
Minister for the Economy and EntrepreneurshipVjekoslav Petričevićwidth=5px style="background-color:#0070FF"NDPCroat
Minister for Trade and TourismSuzana Gašićwidth=5px style="background-color:blue"DEMOSCroat
Minister for Science and Technology, Higher Education and InformaticsSrđan Rajčevićwidth=5px style="background-color:"SNSDSerb

Prime Ministers of Republika Srpska

See main article: List of prime ministers of Republika Srpska.

Ministries

Administrative services

Administrative services in RS are administrative bodies within the ministries, and are established for the purpose of performing certain activities from within the sphere of activity of the administration, which, due to their nature, entirety and way of performing, require independence and special organization (administration, inspectorates, and other forms). Administrative services are under the direct supervision of the ministry to which they belong.

The following are the administrative units and the ministries to which they belong:

Administrative organizations

Administrative organizations in the RS are established for the purpose of performing professional duties and duties of the republic's administration (institutions, directorates, secretariats, agencies, commissariats, funds, centers and other forms). Administrative organizations may have the attributes of a legal entity.

Current situation

Bosnian Serb politicians support the idea of an independent republic in accordance with the UN Declaration on self-determination and separating Republika Srpska from Bosnia and Herzegovina entirely.[1] The Prime Minister of Republika Srpska Milorad Dodik said a referendum on independence for RS was a fair solution and that 99 percent of Bosnian Serbs support secession from Bosnia-Herzegovina. Dodik stated that this referendum is "inevitable" and says that Bosnia and Herzegovina has no viable future.[2]

Bosniak politicians have requested the suspension of Republika Srpska. Haris Silajdžić, party leader of Party for Bosnia and Herzegovina, has repeatedly stated that he wishes to see the RS dismantled.[3] [4]

Miroslav Lajčák, former High Representative of Bosnia-Herzegovina, has responded to this by saying that "Republika Srpska does not have the right to secede from BiH, at the same time no one can unilaterally abolish Republika Srpska."[5]

Serbia-Republika Srpska relations

See main article: Republika Srpska–Serbia relations. In 1997, the Agreement on Special Parallel Relations was signed between the two on February 28, 1997. A council has been established to bolster relations, in which presidents and prime ministers participate. The Agreement was implemented December 15, 2010.[6] So far, four councils have been held.

On July 26, 2010, the Serbian Minister of Finance Diana Dragutinović and her Republika Srpska counterpart Aleksandar Džombić signed an Agreement on Cooperation in the Financial Sector, which will further develop mutual relations in the financial system. It will bolster the already good cooperation between the two, and help to maintain special parallel relations and enable exchange of experience, also discussing other sections. The working groups will convene at least twice a year.[7]

Kosovo's unilateral proclamation of independence

On July 31, 2011, President Milorad Dodik said that the concept of a multi-ethnic state in Kosovo has failed, and that the solving of the Kosovo question has not been dealt with, stressing that Republika Srpska does not accept Kosovo as an independent country. Dodik said "The peaceful solution is evidently not a possible solution [...] We support Belgrade." in relation to the Kosovo Police operation trying to take control of border crossings located in North Kosovo on July 25.[8]

Notes and References

  1. http://www.isn.ethz.ch/isn/Current-Affairs/Security-Watch/Detail/?lng=en&id=94426 Rhetoric: Western Balkan recipe
  2. http://listserv.buffalo.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A2=ind0609&L=justwatch-l&D=1&O=D&P=5434 Link to reprint of article by Croatian newsagency Hina
  3. Web site: Bosnian Sackings . 2004-07-13 . 2007-04-19 . BBC.
  4. Web site: Bosnian Elections . 2006-10-13 . 2007-04-19 . BBC News.
  5. Web site: Existence of Bosnia and Herzegovina cannot be questioned. EUSR / OHR . 2008-01-30 . 2009-01-07 .
  6. Web site: Successful implementation of agreement on special, parallel relations :: EMG :: Business news from Serbia 2010 . 2011-02-25 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110815155219/http://emg.rs/en/news/serbia/141801.html . 2011-08-15 .
  7. Web site: Serbia, Republika Srpska improve relations in financial sector . 2011-07-31 . 2012-03-21 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120321001414/http://www.emg.rs/en/news/serbia/128215.html . dead .
  8. http://www.b92.net/info/vesti/index.php?yyyy=2011&mm=07&dd=31&nav_category=640&nav_id=529022 Dodik: Kosovsko pitanje nije rešeno