Branko Blanuša, the candidate of the opposition Serbian Democratic Party (SDS), admitted defeat in the repeat elections for the president of Republika Srpska (RS) this evening, but pointed out that election day was marked by numerous blackmails and irregularities, which, he said, were particularly reflected in vote buying.
"This result was achieved through pressure and blackmail. We must now learn the lesson and prepare for the next elections that lie ahead of us – the general elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina in October this year," Blanuša told reporters at the SDS Election Headquarters in Banja Luka.
He also stated that the ruling coalition in RS invested enormous public resources in these elections.
"I am not disappointed. We worked honestly and fairly. These are systemic problems in the electoral process that will not be solved even by introducing scanners and new technologies," emphasized Blanuša, who is also the president of the SDS.
He added that the SDS had the support of certain opposition parties, but that the support of some of them was questionable, which will be discussed in the coming period.
According to SDS data, with 90 percent of polling stations processed, Siniša Karan, the SNSD candidate, won 24.440 votes, while Branko Blanuša received 10.168 votes.
"Republika Srpska will have a president in the coming period and institutions will be able to function, although the issue of constitutionality remains open for the RS Government," concluded Blanuša.
Early elections for the President of Republika Srpska were repeated today at 136 polling stations in 17 cities and municipalities, based on the decision of the Central Election Commission of Bosnia and Herzegovina (CEC), which identified numerous electoral irregularities at these polling stations in the elections held on November 23.
Early presidential elections in RS were held on November 23, after the CEC stripped Milorad Dodik of his presidential mandate, who was sentenced by the Court of BiH to one year in prison and a six-year ban on holding public office for failing to implement decisions of the High Representative in BiH.
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