SARAJEVO, Oct 5 (Hina) - The lowest electoral turnout at a Bosnian election since the signing of the Dayton peace accords in 1995 was registered at Saturday's general ballot, when only 55 percent of the constituents voted.
SARAJEVO, Oct 5 (Hina) - The lowest electoral turnout at a Bosnian
election since the signing of the Dayton peace accords in 1995 was
registered at Saturday's general ballot, when only 55 percent of
the constituents voted. #L#
Only half the 2.3 million registered voters went to the polls,
according to data revealed by Election Commission president Lidija
Korac shortly after the polling stations closed at seven pm.
The turnout was somewhat higher in the Croat-Muslim entity, the
Bosnian Federation, where 57 percent of the electorate voted, while
only 51 percent did so in the Serb entity.
The results are below expectations, Korac said, adding, however,
that the relatively low turnout did not bring into question the
regularity of the electoral process.
It is extremely important that the elections proceeded without any
incidents and that they met the standards valid in all democratic
countries, said Korac.
The head of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe
Mission to Bosnia-Herzegovina, Robert Beecroft, said the reasons
for the low turnout should certainly be analysed. He stated,
however, that the figure was nevertheless not bad and that in many
democratic countries it would be considered a success.
Haris Silajdzic, the Bosnian candidate for the collective state
presidency, told reporters the low turnout was a blow to many
expectations and that its causes should be analysed.
He said that initial trends indicated that his Party for BH and he
himself might win.
Silajdzic declined to speak about possible post-electoral
coalitions, saying it was too early to go into that.
The Election Commission has announced that preliminary results
will be known on Sunday evening.
(hina) ha