The Republika Srpska National Assembly on Tuesday was set to go ahead with a debate on changes to the law on peace and order after its Committee for European Integration and Regional Cooperation on Monday rejected calls for the law to be withdrawn from the agenda.

The entity government proposed the changes last week with the aim of expanding the definition of “the public space” to include the Internet and imposing higher fines for violations of the law.

The entity Interior Ministry, which proposed the law, said changes were necessary because public peace and order could be violated on social networks by people causing or promoting aggression and attacks.

Opposition parties, human rights activists and journalist associations have criticized the proposals, saying the changes will penalise freedom of speech and introduce censorship to the Internet.

Criticism increased on Tuesday following the Committee’s decision as the majority of its members come from the ruling party, the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats, SNSD.

“Welcome to North Korea,” Branislav Borenovic, an MP from an opposition Party of Democratic Progress, PDP, wrote sarcastically on Twitter.

Political analyst, psychologist and avid Twitter user Srdjan Puhalo earlier said the government was trying to establish control over social networks.

“I will not pay the fine, we are ready to go to prison,” he said on Monday, following the session of the parliamentary committee.