The law on the special register and publicity of the work of non-profit organizations of the Republika Srpska (RS), known publicly as the “foreign agents” law, was withdrawn from debate in the RS National Assembly late Tuesday.
The legislation provided for special supervision and the possibility of a work ban for non-governmental organizations that are financed from abroad, a ban on political activities, the need for additional registration and the submission of financial reports.
It defined as “agents of foreign influence” non-profit organizations that help foreign subjects and that deal with political actions, or political activities, which influence public opinion and those that violate the integrity and the Constitution of Republika Srpska – the entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina .
The law on “foreign agents” was withdrawn at the request of the Government of the RS and the decision was announced by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Justice of the RS, Milosh Bukejllović.
No details were given about the reasons for withdrawing this law.
The draft law was put on the agenda at the beginning of the RS Assembly session on May 22, despite a written appeal by 46 non-governmental organizations to the deputies not to vote on it.
On the same day, a show entitled “death to democracy” was held, during which representatives of non-governmental organizations tried to highlight the damage that the adoption of the draft law would cause for “foreign agents”.
In a letter on May 20, the OSCE Mission also warned that the law on “foreign agents” is contrary to the constitutions of the RS and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and inconsistent with the country’s international obligations to respect human rights.
In the session of May 23, the RS Government considered an “opinion proposal” for the law on “foreign agents”, but did not provide details after the session.
This law was presented in 2022 by Milorad Dodik, the pro-Russian president of Republika Srpska and leader of the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats (SNSD), which is under sanctions from the US and Great Britain for unconstitutional actions.
The National Assembly of the Republika Srpska approved the draft of this law on September 28 of last year, which was met with a series of criticisms from the public, the non-governmental sector and international organizations.
Research by Radio Free Europe found that this law bore similarities to the Russian law on foreign agents from 2012.
The US Embassy has previously told Radio Free Europe that this law is “repressive and undemocratic”, and that, if implemented, it would drastically infringe on the rights and freedoms of people living in Republika Srpska.
The Office of the High Representative (OHR) in Bosnia and Herzegovina requested the withdrawal of this draft law from the agenda of the National Assembly of Republika Srpska, because the law itself, as stated by the OHR, “is intended to silence and intimidate civilians and organizations of society”./REL
