Ahsdown told reporters in Sarajevo the law which the state parliament adopted in August at the government's proposal was scandalous.
He said the presidency had already started enforcing the law, recently exempting Munib Jusufovic, a member of the Brcko District assembly, from serving a 10-month prison sentence without any explanation at all. A local court found Jusufovic guilty of abuse of office and corruption.
Ashdown said the European Union Mission to Bosnia was considering the effects of the contentious law, which he added could bring the country's ambitions to draw closer to the European Union into question.