BELGRADE, October 3 – Novosti. Member of the Presidium of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) from the Serbs Milorad Dodik is leading in the presidential elections of the Republic of Srpska BiH, the current president of the RS BiH Zeljka Cvijanovic is a member of the Presidium of BiH from the Serbian people, the Central Electoral Commission of BiH said based on preliminary vote count data.
Residents of BiH on Sunday elected three members of the collective head of state – the presidium – one each from Bosniaks (Muslim Slavs), Bosnian Croats and local Serbs, 42 deputies of the House of Representatives of the Parliamentary Assembly of BiH, 83 deputies of the Assembly (Parliament) of the Republika Srpska (RS BiH), President and Vice-Presidents of the RS BiH, 98 deputies to the House of Representatives of the Croatian-Muslim Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and candidates for municipal assemblies. 3,386,666 citizens had the right to vote, the turnout was 50%.
According to data updated on Monday morning on the official website of the election commission, Milorad Dodik is in the lead with 48.8% of the vote, the closest competitor for the presidency of the RS BiH, Elena Trivich, receives 42.69% of voters’ support. 84.75% of ballots processed.
Dodik’s ruling party of Independent Social Democrats in the Republic of Srpska on Monday night already announced his victory in the presidential elections in the RS based on the data of their observers. A member of the party – the current president of the RS BiH Zelka Cvijanovic, also announced her victory, she was nominated for the post of a member of the Presidium of BiH from the Serbian people.
Milorad Dodik, at the age of 63, was three times prime minister and twice president of RS BiH. He is considered the most pro-Russian politician in BiH, has been under Western sanctions for years and openly does not recognize the High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina Christian Schmidt, whose appointment to the UN was not approved by the Russian Federation and China .
During his visit to Moscow on September 22, the presidential candidate of the Republic of BiH met with Russian leader Vladimir Putin and stressed that Russia is a key foreign economic partner of the Republika Srpska and constantly supports it, including in the UN Security Council. In an interview with Novosti, Dodik pointed out that “the West believes that it has the right to decide for others.” He also expressed confidence in his victory, but noted that there is evidence of interference in the elections in BiH by the West – the West finances and promotes its own candidates, who do not enjoy broad popular support.
Dodik’s biggest rival was Jelena Trivic, 39-year-old economics teacher, deputy chairman of the opposition Democratic Progress Party, supported by the Serbian Democratic Party . She made criticism of 17 years of SNSD rule, the fight against corruption and the urgent needs of citizens as the basis of her campaign.
