The candidate of the ruling Alliance of Independent Social Democrats (SNSD), Siniša Karan, is leading in the early elections for president of Republika Srpska, an entity in Bosnia and Herzegovina, RTRS reports.
According to this information, Karan won 215.226 votes in 97,74 percent of polling stations processed, while the Serbian Democratic Party (SDS) candidate Branko Blanuša won 205.212 votes.
SNSD President Milorad Dodik declared Karan's victory.
"The difference in votes is almost 10.000 votes. This is a big victory. This result is proof that the government has the support of the people. I congratulate Sinisa Karan on his election as president of Republika Srpska," Dodik said at a press conference at 22 p.m., as reported by RTRS.
Želimir Nešković, a member of the SDS Presidency, said earlier that their information from the field shows that in 11 local communities, Blanuša's advantage is more than 17.000 votes.
Turnout below 36 percent
In the early elections for the president of the RS, the turnout was 35,78 percent, while, for comparison, in the 2022 general elections it was 53 percent, announced Jovan Kalaba, President of the Central Election Commission (CEC) of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
443,472 voters voted, and 1.264.364 were registered in the Central Voters' Register.
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