In a letter to MONEYVAL, we have requested their official response regarding the ongoing discussions about Republika Srpska’s (RS) draft law on the Special Registry and Publicity of Non-Profit Organizations’ Work, referred to as the ‘foreign agents’ law.’ We made this request because the proponents of the law, including the Minister of Justice and other members of the ruling party in the RS Parliament, are using anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing measures as arguments to support a legislative proposal that may adversely affect civil society in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
In light of the draft law’s potential impact and its connection to MONEYVAL evaluation and increased monitoring and transparency requirements for NPOs as part of AML/CFT efforts, we urged MONEYVAL to officially respond to the Republika Srpska parliament. We emphasized the importance of reminding officials about MONEYVAL’s plenary session conclusions and the unintended consequences of implementing FATF standards on the NPO sector.
We believe it is necessary to start a thorough consultation process involving civil society, legal experts, and stakeholders to ensure that enacted legislation aligns with international standards and best practices. MONEYVAL’s participation would convey the significance of balancing security and democratic values, in alignment with FATF’s ongoing efforts to address NPO sector constraints.
In the letter, we also alert MONEYVAL to another potentially harmful draft law affecting civic space in Bosnia, this time in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FBiH). The FBiH Ministry of Justice has initiated public pre-consultations regarding a working draft of the Law on Financing Civil Society Organizations in FBiH, which intersects with MONEYVAL’s efforts in several aspects.
We kindly ask them to follow these developments, assess the draft law’s compatibility with the international standards, and urge authorities to ensure an inclusive and effective consultation process with civil society and all relevant stakeholders.
We hope that MONEYVAL will consider this appeal with the utmost urgency, as the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina continues to evolve. MONEYVAL’s support in addressing these concerns would be a significant step toward preserving civic freedoms in the country and the region.
Read the full letter HERE.