SNSD’s Sinisa Karan holds narrow lead as opposition demands repeat voting in key RS municipalities

According to the CEC, Karan has won 217,324 votes (50.30%), while Blanuša has received 208,955 votes (48.37%).

On Sunday night, SNSD leader Milorad Dodik declared Karan the winner of the early election for RS president.

However, the acting president of SDS, Jovica Radulovic, said his party does not recognise the results and will formally request a repeat of the vote in Doboj, Zvornik and Laktasi, alleging serious irregularities.

Branislav Borenovic, MP in the BiH House of Representatives and leader of the PDP, said that “red alarms are flashing” following the release of the preliminary results, and called for an urgent response from the CEC and judicial authorities.

“Following the SNSD model of electoral theft at numerous polling stations, with suspiciously high turnout and even more suspicious results, we now have a situation unprecedented in Banja Luka and much of RS,” Borenovic said.

“It is enough to look at the results by polling station and the massive discrepancies. Red alarms have gone off, requiring an immediate and adequate reaction from the CEC and the judiciary, ex officio and without delay,” he added.

The CEC has not yet commented on whether it will consider the opposition parties’ demands for repeat voting in the disputed municipalities.