Bosnian Serb opposition leaders have joined the regular protests being held in Banja Luka over the unexplained death of 21-year-old David Dragicevic, demanding fresh elections.
After their disappointing results in the recent elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina, senior members of the opposition in Bosnia’s Serb-led entity, Repubika Srpska, on Sunday joined the protests demanding the truth about the death of David Dragicevic – and about the recent election results.
The unexplained death of Dragicevic, whose body was found on March 24 in a river near the centre of Banja Luka, the main city in the RS, has led to the most massive protests seen in RS in years.
At the same time, it has become a major factor in the political conflict between the opposition and ruling parties controlled by the RS President, Milorad Dodik.
The opposition claims that Dodik’s party won by fraud in the elections in Bosnia held on October 7.
“I know that I won the election on October 7. They didn’t steal from me, they stole from the people. We need to find out the truth,” Vukota Govedarica, leader of the Serbian Democratic Party, SDS, the main Bosnian Serb opposition party – and defeated candidate for the post of RS President – said on Sunday.
Govedarica lost the race to Zeljka Cvijanovic, the current prime minister of the RS and the candidate of Dodik’s ruling Alliance of the Independent Social Democrats, SNSD.
The opposition bloc on Sunday demanded “fair and democratic elections, where there will be no theft, and where the will of the people will be respected”.
“Vukota Govedarica, you are the President of Republika Srpska and you will remain so. From tomorrow, do your job,” David Dragicevic’s father, Davor, said on Sunday, at the 203rd protest rally. He added: “If you cannot lead the people, I will.”
Dragicevic has accused the RS Ministry of Interior, government and President of trying to cover up the murder of his son.
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