Milorad Dodik has announced plans to introduce a new constitution for Republika Srpska, the Serb-majority entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina, suggesting that it could be proclaimed on January 9, 2027.
According to Serbian Times, Dodik also proposed changes to the entity’s official administrative designations, with Banja Luka becoming its capital and Pale receiving the status of a historic capital.
The announcement comes amid longstanding political and constitutional disputes over the powers of Republika Srpska within Bosnia and Herzegovina.
January 9 Raises Constitutional Questions
The proposed date carries political significance. January 9 is celebrated by Republika Srpska authorities as the entity’s founding day, although Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Constitutional Court has ruled against the official observance of the holiday in its existing form.
Dodik’s proposal for a new constitution would therefore likely generate further debate about the entity’s relationship with Bosnia and Herzegovina’s state institutions.
However, the announcement does not mean that a new constitution has been adopted or that the proposed changes to Banja Luka and Pale have taken legal effect.
Dodik Addresses International Relations
In remarks reported by Serbian Times, Dodik also discussed Republika Srpska’s relations with the European Union, Serbia, the United States, Russia and China.His comments placed the constitutional proposal within a wider discussion of the entity’s political position and international relationships.
The proposed constitutional changes remain an announcement, with no confirmed adoption date or completed legislative procedure established in the available report.
