KOVAČ: CEC ACTIONS ANTI-DEMOCRATIC, ELECTIONS SHOULD BE RUN BY REPUBLIKA SRPSKA

BELGRADE, DECEMBER 26 /SRNA/ – The Director of the Eurasian Security Forum Mitar Kovač assessed that the latest decision by the Central Election Commission /CEC/ of BiH to repeat the election for president of Republika Srpska at 136 polling stations is political and anti-democratic, noting that the entire electoral process for all institutions in Republika Srpska should be organized at the Republic level, without interference from the CEC.

"I believe this is generally bad news for the democratic process in BiH, because the CEC is attempting to instrumentalize the process and, much like the Court and Prosecutor’s Office of BiH, decide what is acceptable and what is not, as well as where elections should be repeated, thereby undermining the institutions of Republika Srpska," Kovač told SRNA. According to him, as long as the CEC of BiH remains the superior institution, it will continue to politicize the process, count votes in its own way, and determine where elections should be repeated. "Simply put, this is not good for internal relations between the two entities and the three constituent peoples, and especially not for relations between the Bosniak and Serb peoples. To avoid such situations, the electoral process must be returned to Republika Srpska," Kovač reiterated. Kovač noted that citizens of Republika Srpska should understand that this is a political game being driven by political Sarajevo and certain global forces from Europe seeking a unitary BiH. "For that reason, the people should respond in greater numbers to these imposed elections and reaffirm their will," he said. The Central Election Commission of BiH has issued a non-final decision annulling the early presidential elections in Republika Srpska at 136 polling stations across 17 electoral units. The early elections were annulled at specific polling stations in Prijedor, Laktaši, Banja Luka, Doboj, Stanari, Lopare, Ugljevik, Osmaci, Vlasenica, Zvornik, Bratunac, Nevesinje, Gacko, Rudo, Bileća, Milići, and Brčko.