BANJA LUKA – The campaign for the snap presidential elections in the BiH entity Republika Srpska, scheduled for 23 November, ended on Thursday evening, with the leading candidates Siniša Karan and Branko Blanuša holding their final rallies in Banja Luka. The key messages delivered by Karan, a close ally of the former RS President Milorad Dodik, referred to the continuation of Dodik’s policies, while Blanuša, a candidate of the biggest opposition party, called on the citizens “to vote for a change”.
The early elections were called after the Central Election Commission’s decision to revoke Dodik’s mandate as President of the RS. He had previously been convicted by the top Court of BiH for refusing to implement decisions issued in 2023 by the High Representative in BiH, Christian Schmidt, and was banned from holding political office for six years.
There are six candidates running to succeed Milorad Dodik at the helm of Republika Srpska: Herzegovina: Siniša Karan (Alliance of Independent Social Democrats – SNSD), Branko Blanuša (Serbian Democratic Party -SDS), Dragan Đokanović (Alliance for New Politics), Nikola Lazarević (Ecological Party of the Republika Srpska), Igor Gašević (independent candidate), and Slavko Dragičević (independent candidate).
Karan, a former Minister of the Interior of the RS, and Blanuša, a university professor, are regarded as the most serious candidates. Blanuša is backed by the majority of opposition parties in RS, including the Safe Srpska Movement, founded by Draško Stanivuković, a mayor of Banja Luka, the Independent Movement “In My Own Way”, as well as by the People’s Front and List for Justice and Order.
Just a few days before the snap presidential elections in RS, the political scene in Banja Luka was shaken by a cocaine scandal. The controversy erupted after a video surfaced on Wednesday showing Vlado Đajić, one of the key figures in SNSD, led by Dodik, discussing the purchase and sale of drugs.
The regular presidential elections in RS are scheduled to coincide with the general elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina, in October 2026.
Siniša Karan: “We have to defend the framework for the freedom set by Milorad Dodik”
“Freedom is an expensive word, it is something to die for, and the framework for the freedom for Srpska was set by our President, Milorad Dodik. This is the moment when we have to defend it”, Siniša Karan said on Thursday night.
According to Karan, the final election rally of the SNDS party in Banja Luka “demonstrated the strength of Republika Srpska, the strength of unity and freedom”.
Dodik, who had a prominent role in Karan’s campaign, noted that “Karan is a voice of the policies we have led”.
“I remain with you to fight for our political goals… Siniša Karan will complete his presidential mandate next year… He has always been there for us in the difficult times… I expect Banja Luka to vote for Siniša Karan… Those who will vote for someone else, will directly support (High Representative) Schmidt”, Dodik said.
Branko Blanuša: We must return Republika Srpska and its institutions to the citizens
On the other hand, Branko Blanuša stressed that his main goal is “to launch a real fight against corruption and crime”.
“We must return Republika Srpska and its institutions to the citizens”, Blanuša noted at his final election rally, underlying that “Srpska can and must do better”.
Blanuša attached great importance to the fact that his final election rally took place in Banja Luka.
“Banja Luka is my city, the city where I was born, grew up, got educated… It is the place where I still live”, he remarked.
In a similar vein, Draško Stanivuković remarked that “the changes will not happen on their own, we must make them happen”, calling on citizens of RS to vote for Blanuša on Sunday.
