Post by MiG on Jan 22, 2008 17:51:08 GMT -5
Bosnia Serbs Worry over Nikolic
21 January 2008 Banja Luka _ Bosnian Serb governing party politicians have expressed concern over the results of the first round of Serbia's presidential vote, saying that it demonstrated a rift among the Serbian electorate.
Unofficial results put Nikolic, acting leader of the opposition Serbian Radical Party, on 39.4%, with Tadic, leader of the governing Democratic Party, in second place on 35.4%.
Rajko Vasic, a senior official of Independent Social Democrats, led by the Bosnian Serb entity’s Prime Minister, Milorad Dodik, said that an eventual victory of the ultra-nationalist Tomislav Nikolic in the February 3 run-off “will throw Serbia back to the era of Slobodan Milosevic.“
The largely-autonomous Serb entity, Republika Srpska, coexists with the Bosnjak-Croat Federation within Bosnia and Herzegovina under the provisions of the 1995 Dayton peace accord.
Under Milosevic's 13 years-long tenure Serbia lost several wars, experienced international isolation and rampant inflation, as well as a 1999 NATO bombing campaign, launched to end Belgrade’s crackdown on rebellious Kosovo Albanians.
Milosevic was ousted in 2000, handed over to the UN war crimes Tribunal in the Netherlands, where he died while standing trial on genocide and war crimes charges.
Vasic told Balkan Insight that Nikolic's victory “will directly lead to Kosovo's independence,“ adding: “I believe that the electorate will recognize the European path advocated by President Boris Tadic.“
Dodik backed Tadic in his campaign ahead of the first round, and delivered a speech at the Democratic Party's final rally ahead of the vote.
Another Bosnian governing Serb party, the Party of Democratic Progress said it expects that “the people of Serbia will democratically elect the president.“ The party will not back either of the candidates, a statement said.
The opposition Serbian Radical Party of the Republika Srpska welcomed Nikolic's victory in the first round. In a statement it said that “Nikolic's results united and reconciled Serbia“.
Tadic won balloting in Serbia's consulate in the Bosnian Serb capital Banja Luka. He gained 53.85% of votes, against 36.92% for Nikolic.
Serbs who live abroad were allowed to cast their ballots in embassies and consulates.
21 January 2008 Banja Luka _ Bosnian Serb governing party politicians have expressed concern over the results of the first round of Serbia's presidential vote, saying that it demonstrated a rift among the Serbian electorate.
Unofficial results put Nikolic, acting leader of the opposition Serbian Radical Party, on 39.4%, with Tadic, leader of the governing Democratic Party, in second place on 35.4%.
Rajko Vasic, a senior official of Independent Social Democrats, led by the Bosnian Serb entity’s Prime Minister, Milorad Dodik, said that an eventual victory of the ultra-nationalist Tomislav Nikolic in the February 3 run-off “will throw Serbia back to the era of Slobodan Milosevic.“
The largely-autonomous Serb entity, Republika Srpska, coexists with the Bosnjak-Croat Federation within Bosnia and Herzegovina under the provisions of the 1995 Dayton peace accord.
Under Milosevic's 13 years-long tenure Serbia lost several wars, experienced international isolation and rampant inflation, as well as a 1999 NATO bombing campaign, launched to end Belgrade’s crackdown on rebellious Kosovo Albanians.
Milosevic was ousted in 2000, handed over to the UN war crimes Tribunal in the Netherlands, where he died while standing trial on genocide and war crimes charges.
Vasic told Balkan Insight that Nikolic's victory “will directly lead to Kosovo's independence,“ adding: “I believe that the electorate will recognize the European path advocated by President Boris Tadic.“
Dodik backed Tadic in his campaign ahead of the first round, and delivered a speech at the Democratic Party's final rally ahead of the vote.
Another Bosnian governing Serb party, the Party of Democratic Progress said it expects that “the people of Serbia will democratically elect the president.“ The party will not back either of the candidates, a statement said.
The opposition Serbian Radical Party of the Republika Srpska welcomed Nikolic's victory in the first round. In a statement it said that “Nikolic's results united and reconciled Serbia“.
Tadic won balloting in Serbia's consulate in the Bosnian Serb capital Banja Luka. He gained 53.85% of votes, against 36.92% for Nikolic.
Serbs who live abroad were allowed to cast their ballots in embassies and consulates.
Source: www.balkaninsight.com/en/main/news/7473/