Mladen Grujičić declares victory

(Patria) - "I don't want to be presumptuous, but victory was declared both on November 15 and now," Mladen Grujičić stated tonight in Srebrenica after polling stations closed in that city.

“We did everything possible to repeat the elections, and I had no information about any problems. The elections went smoothly and I thank both Bosniaks and Serbs who came out to vote,” Grujičić said in his address at tonight's press conference.

He also said that the boycott failed, commenting on a statement by Sadik Ahmetović from the “My Address: Srebrenica” initiative, who told N1 that the boycott had succeeded.

“Over 200 Bosniaks came out to vote, those brave enough not to succumb to blackmail. On the other hand, there were blackmail and threats. You will see that from Bosniaks who will report it. I never told any of my workers to go out and vote; I publicly called on all Bosniaks to do so because I believe it is a good move for them. At the end of all this, I guarantee that Bosniaks will have to accept the mandates they won,” he said.

Responding to a journalist's question about what if they give up their mandates, Grujičić stated that this sends a message that the leadership has abandoned them again.

“Like in the war when the leadership abandoned them in '95, and now in peacetime. Nothing will happen to them if there are no Bosniak representatives. Ahmetović does not live here; he had an apartment he occasionally came to for holidays, and now he doesn't even do that. He appeared in this initiative and will probably leave when he sees he has failed again. They have signed their political demise, and it is time for Bosniaks to find themselves a representative,” he commented.

He also said that a third round of elections is possible, adding that “anything is possible in Srebrenica and BiH.” “I thought this was impossible, but it happened. I believe there is a shred of justice in this country and that it won't happen, but whatever happens, the result will be the same. I think the Central Election Commission made a big mistake by succumbing to pressure. They expected something to happen, but the same thing happened, and an even more convincing victory,” he said.

He also said that the turnout of Serbs was slightly higher than on November 15, 2020. At that time, Grujičić won 5,200 votes, and now he expects, as he said, at least 5,300. Grujičić is also certain that out of 60 Bosniaks, 27 voted for him, as he stated in his address.

He also said that he will do everything to ensure that citizens in Srebrenica have jobs and a secure livelihood, and that he has two million in ready funds sitting in the account due to this situation, which prevented them from issuing public tenders, but that he will strive to implement what was planned.