Bosnian nationalists poised to win elections

Brian O. Sheppard x349393 bsheppard at bari.iww.org
Mon Oct 7 13:36:17 PDT 2002


According to this AP report:

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&cid=518&ncid=721&e=5&u=/ap/20021007/ap_on_re_eu/bosnia_elections

Bosnia Nationalists Poised for Win Mon Oct 7,12:52 PM ET By KATARINA KRATOVAC, Associated Press Writer

SARAJEVO, Bosnia-Herzegovina (AP) -

Nationalists made a comeback in Bosnia's first self-organized elections since the 1992-95 war, an outcome that threatens to deepen divisions between the country's Muslims, Croats and Serbs.

The preliminary count of Saturday's balloting, nearly completed, showed nationalists well ahead in races for all the spots on Bosnia's three-member multiethnic presidency. That was likely to disappoint Western officials, who had urged Bosnians to vote for reforms.

Nationalists also made strong gains at the legislative level.

The United States and its allies in Europe have warned that their support and foreign aid for Bosnia could be endangered if the winners espouse the same nationalist policies that caused Europe's bloodiest conflict since World War II. More than 260,000 people were killed.

The war ended in a U.S.-brokered peace accord that split the country along its wartime front lines and imposed an international administrator with overarching authority.

The British politician who currently holds that post, Paddy Ashdown, cautioned against interpreting Saturday's vote as a wish to return to the divisive past.

"Everyone who thinks the mood is moving back to nationalism simply has not been listening," he said. "The weekend vote was a protest ... a cry for help, not a vote for more of the same or a return of the past." Nationalists have campaigned on Bosnians' disappointment over the impoverished economy, the 60 percent unemployment level and dire living standards. The average monthly paycheck amounts to the equivalent of $250.

The turnout of 55 percent - the lowest since the end of the war - indicated many Bosnians were disillusioned by politicians not keeping their promises. Voter fatigue likely also played a role, as the poll was the sixth in the seven years of peace.

Official results were not expected until later in October.

Dragan Covic of the nationalist Croat Democratic Union was in a clear lead for the Croat presidency, with 62 percent of the vote. All the ballots were counted in that race.

Mirko Sarovic, a Serb nationalist, appeared likely to win the Serb spot. With 77 percent of the vote in that race tallied, he had 40 percent, far more than a reformist candidate.

For the Muslim member, Sulejman Tihic of the Muslim-only Party for Democratic Action led with 38 percent ahead of reformist Haris Silajdzic with 36 percent. About 93 percent of the ballots had been counted. Bosnia is made up of two mini-states, the Muslim-Croat federation and the Serb republic. Voters in both parts of the country elected their own assemblies and delegates to the 42-seat lower chamber of a joint, national parliament.

Federation voters pick 28 legislators to that assembly with Serb voters choosing the rest.

In the Muslim-Croat federation, the Party for Democratic Action won 32 percent of the votes for the national parliament, the Croatian Democratic Union 17 percent, while two reformist parties had 16 percent each with 93 percent of ballots counted.

In the Serb republic, the hardline Serb Democratic Party lead with 37 percent, ahead of two moderate groups that had 25 percent and 11 percent respectively. All ballots had been counted in that race.

In the race for the Muslim-Croat federation's parliament, the Muslim party was ahead with 32 percent. Officials had counted 93 percent of ballots in that race.

The Serb Democratic Party also won the race for president in the Serb republic, according to the results.

The elections were perceived as a test whether Bosnia's Muslims, Serbs and Croats could run their own affairs, electing for the first time officials to four-year mandates. International monitors said the incident-free poll met international standards.

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"At times one remains faithful to a cause only because its opponents do not cease to be insipid." - Friedrich Nietzsche



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