Dodik: Let BiH be on the blacklist – but we don’t give RS jurisdiction

Milorad Dodik

Milorad Dodik, president of Republika Srpska and the SNSD, claims that before they choose to put BiH on the blacklist, responsibility will be transferred from the entities to the BiH level, Fena reports.

“We don’t give jurisdiction to RS for the fact that Bosnia is on the blacklist,” said Dodik, noting that BiH will not be on the blacklist if they adopt a law on preventing money laundering, but not the Criminal Code.

Today in a statement to reporters in Banja Luka, he explained that a draft law on preventing money laundering and terrorism financing was agreed, and that it could be voted on, but he is against adopting amendments to the BiH Criminal Code.

He says that it is known precisely the articles proposed in the Criminal Code as a transfer of jurisdiction from the entities to the BiH level, and that the law was not a condition to adopt together with the law on preventing money laundering.

Dodik confirmed that he sent a letter to RS delegates in the House of Peoples in which he warned them that they should oppose the adoption of the draft amendments to the Criminal Code, and so, as he claims, protect the interests of RS and prevent every transfer of jurisdiction to the BiH level.

He noted that they can vote on the draft law on preventing money laundering and terrorism financing, because that law received the consent of the government and relevant ministries in RS, but that adopting the Criminal Code is controversial, because it infringes on the criminal practice and procedure in RS, and increases it on the state level.

He also says that he does not know why a number of delegates of his party earlier voted for the law in the House of Representatives.