The Serb member of the Bosnian Presidency, Milorad Dodik, said on Monday that despite all the pressures, he would soon send to the Serb entity's parliament bills transferring key state powers to the entity of Republika Srpska.

Dodik plans to contest the existence of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s armed forces, the BiH Defence Act adopted in the state parlament more than 15 years ago, the BiH High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council as well as tax and custom duty collection at state level.

After meeting with the leaders of the parties making up the ruling coalition in RS, Dodik told the press in Banja Luka the RS parliament would debate that bills between 15 and 20 November.

“Our goal is to regulate these areas within six months at the latest,” Dodik said, adding that everything he and his coalition partners planned to carry out was in line with the constitution.

He said previous reforms were carried out unlawfully and under pressure from the international community.

He called on opposition parties to support the ruling coalition, saying those were fateful decisions for Serbs and RS.

The bills could prompt a more resolute reaction from the international community as they are contrary to laws passed by the BiH Parliament and contesting them at a lower government level would constitute a drastic violation of the constitution and the law.

Putting out of force the Defence Act would weaken the country’s defence power, which is a criminal offence punishable with years in prison.