BiH Parliament: SDP extraordinary congress begins, delegates to elect new party president

The extraordinary congress of the Social Democratic Party (SDP BiH) has begun in the BiH Parliament building, reports the reporter of the BiH news agency Patria.

More than 560 delegates are present and will elect the new party leadership.

There are five candidates for the president of SDP BiH: Nermin Nikšić, Selim Bešlagić, Besima Borić, Svetozar Pudarić, and Mirko Pejanović. 

According to sources from the party, SDP members from Herzegovina and Sarajevo will support Nermin Nikšić, while the Tuzla wing of the SDP supports Bešlagić.

Nermin Nikšić, who briefly addressed journalists before the congress began, said he was proud of maintaining his dignity during this campaign for party president and sharply criticized rumors that the congress was staged.

- The story that this congress is staged is an insult to these 500-plus people sitting here today - Nikšić said.

- If I am elected president of the SDP, we will work on reorganizing the party and improving its position on the political scene in BiH - Nikšić stated.

Selim Bešlagić, the Tuzla candidate for party president, said that even if the rumors come true and the congress is indeed staged, meaning the new president is not elected democratically, he will still remain an SDP member.

During the congress today, there will also be discussions about amending the statute and the unification of the SDP and the USD party.