Kuzmanović on track to become Bosnian Serb president

Rajko Kuzmanovic was on track to become the new Bosnian Serb president, according to preliminary results. Kuzmanovic, 76, is the candidate of the Bosnian Serbs' most powerful party, the Union of Independent Social Democrats, SNSD. Kuzmanovic on track to become Bosnian Serb president More than 55 percent of the total votes had been counted by late Sunday and Kuzmanovic garnered 44.53 percent, the Election Commission said. Final results were not expected until Monday. Kuzmanovic had earlier been described as the favorite. His most serious opponent was Ognjen Tadic, 33, from the Serb Democratic Party, which was founded by fugitive war crimes suspect Radovan Karadzic. Tadic got 33.28 percent, the commission said. Out of the 1.1 million voters, nearly 36 percent showed up at polling stations to chose among 10 candidates for the presidency of Republika Srpska — one of two ministates that make up Bosnia and Herzegovina, Election Commission director Stjepan Mikic said. Most power in the ministate lies with prime minister Milorad Dodik, the head of the SNSD party. The president holds a largely ceremonial post, but has the power to propose the candidate for prime minister and can take the mandate away if he has the support of a parliamentary majority. The peace agreement that ended Bosnia's 1992-95 war divided the country into two ministates — the Republika Srpska and the Bosniak-Croat Federation — each largely autonomous, with its own president, parliament, police and army. The two are linked by a central government, a parliament and a three-member presidency. Dodik's party holds all key functions in the Bosnian Serb ministate as well as many positions in the federal government.

Kuzmanović on track to become Bosnian Serb president

More than 55 percent of the total votes had been counted by late Sunday and Kuzmanovic garnered 44.53 percent, the Election Commission said. Final results were not expected until Monday.

Kuzmanović had earlier been described as the favorite. His most serious opponent was Ognjen Tadić, 33, from the Serb Democratic Party, which was founded by fugitive war crimes suspect Radovan Karadžić. Tadic got 33.28 percent, the commission said.

Out of the 1.1 million voters, nearly 36 percent showed up at polling stations to chose among 10 candidates for the presidency of Republika Srpska — one of two ministates that make up Bosnia and Herzegovina, Election Commission director Stjepan Mikić said.

Most power in the ministate lies with prime minister Milorad Dodik, the head of the SNSD party. The president holds a largely ceremonial post, but has the power to propose the candidate for prime minister and can take the mandate away if he has the support of a parliamentary majority.

The peace agreement that ended Bosnia's 1992-95 war divided the country into two ministates — the Republika Srpska and the Bosniak-Croat Federation — each largely autonomous, with its own president, parliament, police and army. The two are linked by a central government, a parliament and a three-member presidency.

Dodik's party holds all key functions in the Bosnian Serb ministate as well as many positions in the federal government.