Drasko Stanivukovic, the current mayor of Banja Luka, was elected today as the new president of the Party of Democratic Progress (PDP) during a session of the party's Main Board.

He succeeds Branislav Borenovic, becoming the third leader of the party, following Borenovic and the party's first president, Mladen Ivanic, “Nezavisne” daily reports.

After his appointment, Stanivukovic emphasized that “change begins today,” reflecting his new slogan.

“I want to thank all of you who elected me, as well as those of you who have been here for 25 years. This is not just a new chapter for our party or those present here; it should be a new chapter for the entire Republika Srpska,” Stanivukovic said.

He described his appointment as a call to action and an awakening for every individual.

“I truly believe that change begins today. From this moment, I am not the same person I was yesterday, nor the same as I was a minute ago, because then I was not the president of this party. From today, my goal is to preserve every inch of Republika Srpska,” Stanivukovic declared.

He added that his aim is to make PDP the leading party in Republika Srpska, moving beyond its current status as the second or third choice.

“Our goal is to achieve what many consider impossible because today marks our new beginning,” Stanivukovic concluded.