Bosnian Serb nationalist leader Milorad Dodik has won his community’s seat on Bosnia-Herzegovina’s three-person presidency. Mr Dodik, who has close links with Russia, has advocated independence for the Republika Srpksa, saying Bosnia has failed Serbs in the country. Mr Dodik, who has led Republika Srpska since 2006, defeated the incumbent Bosnian Serb member of the three-member presidency, centre-right politician Mladen Ivanic.
The main Bosnian Muslim party, the SDA, said its candidate Sefik Dzaferovic would be the Muslim representative, while Croat voters returned social democrat Zelijko Komsic to their presidential seat.
Turnout in the election has been reported at just over 53 per cent.
“I don’t care who the other two representatives in the presidency are,” said Mr Dodik during a victory speech in the city of Banja Luka. “I will take my seat on the presidency to work above all and only for the interests of Serbs.”
Due to the complex nature of Bosnia’s government and electoral system – a total of five presidents and 14 prime ministers as well as more than 500 members of local parliaments needed to be elected, final results will not be known until October 9.
[…] returned Šefik Džaferović as their member of the presidency, Croats opted for Željko Komšić. The Serbs put Milorad Dodik, who openly calls for the unification of the Serb-dominated entity, the Republika Srpska, with […]