Bosnia heads to polls as ethnic tensions dominate vote

World

Published: 2022-10-02 14:08

Last Updated: 2024-04-17 22:24


Bosnia heads to polls as ethnic tensions dominate vote
Bosnia heads to polls as ethnic tensions dominate vote

Bosnians headed to the polls Sunday to vote in general elections following a campaign season marked by threats of secession, political infighting, and fears of future turmoil as ethnic tensions in the country grow, AFP reported.

Voters are casting ballots in a dizzying number of contests, including for the three members of Bosnia's tripartite presidency, the deputies of the central parliament and a string of local races.

Polls opened at 7:00 am local time (5:00 GMT).

Nearly three decades after war ravaged the Balkan country, Bosnia continues to be burdened by its ethnic divisions.

The Balkan state has been governed by a dysfunctional administrative system created by the 1995 Dayton Agreement that succeeded in ending the conflict in the 1990s, but largely failed in providing a framework for the country's political development.

Bosnia remains partitioned between a Serb entity -- the Republika Srpska (RS) -- and a Muslim-Croat federation connected by a weak central government.

In the war's wake, ethnic political parties have long exploited the country's divisions in a bid to maintain power.

"I hope for nothing. I vote because that is the only thing I can do as an individual," said Amra Besic, a 57-year-old economist, as she cast her ballot in Sarajevo.