Local elections in Bosanski Petrovac have sparked a political storm after Bobana Velaga Lipic (SNSD) was initially declared the winner for mayor by a single vote over Mahmut Jukic (SDA), according to preliminary results. However, the SDA Bosanski Petrovac filed a complaint with the Central Election Commission of Bosnia and Herzegovina, requesting a recount. Following the recount at the CEC headquarters, the final results showed Jukic winning by a margin of four votes, with at least five ballots for Velaga Lipic declared invalid.

The SNSD Bosanski Petrovac, dissatisfied with the decision, requested a new election, but the CEC of BiH rejected this request, citing a lack of sufficient grounds for such a procedure.

Bobana Velaga Lipic stated that she believes the will of the voters was violated and expressed hope that the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina, to which the SNSD appealed, would annul the results and allow for a new election.

The court has 72 hours to respond to the complaint, filed on November 1, 2024, and the final election results are expected to be announced by November 6.

The SDA Bosanski Petrovac claims that the SNSD is attempting to manipulate the results and pointed out that Serbian national voters dominate in many polling stations in the municipality, where the SNSD is now demanding a new vote.

“Re-running the election at a few select polling stations is absurd and represents an attempt to alter the voters’ will,” stated the SDA Bosanski Petrovac.

Security issues, such as stamps and signatures on ballots, have further complicated the situation. The SDA Bosanski Petrovac claims that ballots lacking required elements were also found in mobile teams and that some votes for their candidate were deemed invalid.

They allege that during the recount it was established that at the polling station Krnjeusa, where the polling station president was of Serbian nationality, three ballots without stamps or signatures were accepted as valid, increasing suspicions of irregularities.

Election board member Ivana Bulajic stated that at the Suvaja polling station all procedures were followed and that observers checked the ballots three times.

“During the counting, there was also an observer from the SDA present, who did not raise any objections,” Bulajic said.

Political tensions surrounding the elections in Bosanski Petrovac continue to escalate, and the final decision by the Court of BiH could ultimately resolve the situation.