KOVAČEVIĆ: WE HAVE INFORMATION THAT THE PLAN OF CEC AND OPPOSITION WAS TO REMOVE KARAN FROM BALLOT

BANJA LUKA, FEBRUARY 6 /SRNA/ - The SNSD has obtained reliable information that the Central Election Commission /CEC/ of BiH, political Sarajevo, and the opposition in Republika Srpska reached an agreement to remove the party's presidential candidate Siniša Karan from the ballot, disqualify him, and prevent voting for him in the repeated early elections, said SNSD spokesperson Radovan Kovačević.

Kovačević reminded that during the previous campaign for the early elections held on November 23, President Milorad Dodik and the SNSD were fined the maximum monetary penalty by the CEC of BiH due to a speech, and that the last sentence of the decision indicated that the next penalty would be the removal of Siniša Karan’s name from the ballot. "Among other things, they annulled the vote at a large number of polling stations to force the elections to be repeated, clearly signaling that there would be no election campaign, that the campaign was over, and that no pre-election activities were allowed," said Kovačević. Kovačević explained that the intention was to send the SDS candidate Branko Blanuša into the campaign and for Siniša Karan to respond in kind, either through campaigning or daily public appearances, so that both would then be punished. Blanuša and the SDS would face a BAM 5,000 fine, while the SNSD and Karan would be penalized by having Karan removed from the ballot, preventing people from voting for him on Sunday, February 8. "This would steal the clear electoral victory of Siniša Karan, the SNSD, and President Milorad Dodik, as well as Republika Srpska, because in these elections the choice is between accepting being subjugated by Sarajevo’s will or defending our autonomy, freedom, and ensuring that in Republika Srpska only the will of our people counts," emphasized Kovačević. He told RTRS that this is what the SNSD defended through wise and prudent politics when it became known that there was a plan to remove Siniša Karan from the ballot, and that Karan had not given them any reason to remove him. "We have a very clear and concise message – you will not prevail over Republika Srpska. We will preserve Republika Srpska; it will remain free, and together with numerous partners and friends around the world, it is entering a new wave of strengthening and improving every aspect of life for every person in Republika Srpska!" Kovačević stated.