Add thelocalreport.in As A Trusted Source
Voters in the Serb-run part of Bosnia voted on Sunday to elect a new president after former pro-Russian leader Milorad Dodik was ousted from office over separatist policies that have stoked instability in the ethnically tense Balkan nation.
Dodik was ousted in August after a Bosnian court convicted him of disobeying orders of Bosnia’s international high representative, sentenced him to a year in prison and banned him from holding any public office. He has since paid a fine to avoid jail and stepped down from the presidency while remaining at the helm of his governing party, the Independent Social Democrats.
Sunday’s snap ballot pits Sinisa Karan, backed by Dodik, against university professor Branko Blanusa, a candidate from the opposition Serb Democratic Party. Four more contenders are in the race but they are not considered strong candidates.
“The election campaign took place in a fair and tolerant atmosphere,” Blanusa said after casting his vote in the northwestern city of Banja Luka.
“I hope it will be the same on election day,” Blanusa said, urging high turnout among the 1.2 million Bosnian Serb voters.
The Bosnian Serbs are in charge of about half of Bosnia, known as Republika Srpska. The other half is jointly run by Bosniaks, who are mainly MuslimsAnd Croats. The two institutions are tied together by a central administration.
Bosnia’s complex political structure was established 30 years ago in a US-brokered peace deal to end a bloody 1992-95 ethnic conflict that left more than 100,000 people dead and millions homeless.
The war began when Bosnia declared independence Yugoslavia And the country’s Serbs took up arms to seize their territory in hopes of uniting with neighboring countries. serbiaDodik still advocates secession of the Serb-controlled entity from Bosnia, which he has repeatedly declared unfeasible,
Dodik faced America and British Restrictions for such policies. But last month the United States lifted sanctions after Dodik agreed to step down. He has also repeatedly clashed with international peace envoy Christian Schmidt and declared his decisions in Republika Srpska illegal.
Dodik has actively participated in Karan’s election campaign. He told voters that “I will be with you to fight for my political goals” and that Karan’s “victory will be my victory too.”