Karadzic Reportedly Will Stay Off Ballot
Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic reportedly agreed Thursday not to run in countrywide elections in September, but his explanation for staying on the sidelines indicated he is not contemplating retirement.
SRNA, the official Bosnian Serb news agency, reported that Karadzic’s ruling Serbian Democratic Party nominated two of his allies for the top Bosnian Serb offices.
Karadzic, an indicted war crimes suspect who is barred under the Dayton, Ohio, peace accord from holding public office, doesn’t appear anywhere on the candidates list, SRNA reported, just as he didn’t run in the last Bosnia-Herzegovina presidential election in 1990.
At that time, he used his post as chairman of the party to effectively rule Bosnian Serb territory, anointing himself president only later after the breakaway republic was at war.
“The president decided on the same position which he had in 1990 . . . since that formula from 1990 has shown to be very successful,” SRNA said.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
