A new political party is in the making in Bosnia's Republika Srpska (RS) entity, and its goal is winning the Banjaluka Mayor's office at the upcoming local election, Davor Dragicevic, the father of David Dragicevic whose mysterious death triggered some of the biggest anti-government protests in this entity, told N1 on Tuesday.
“Our political ambitions aren't big at the moment, maybe they'll grow with time, but we want to make a new political movement and we won't make coalitions with anyone. Our goal is making a good result at the local election but I'm more interested in the general election,” Dragicevic said, adding that his party already has a Banjaluka Mayor candidate but he would not disclose their name.
“We are undergoing a formation process and I hope it'll be all over in about a month. We still don't know what it's going to be called – maybe Justice for All, but the name is not important – neither is talking. What's important is our actions,” he added.
Speaking about the party's programme, he said they will deal with the economy and no politics.
“Our priority is the economy. We want to show to people that the situation in the country can be better and that we can have tolerance and coexistence. Neither Republika Srpska nor the Federation entity is threatened. We don't need foreign countries, foreign agencies, the OSCE or the Office of the High Representative to live together. I guarantee you that we can change many things in just one year time,” Dragicevic stressed.
In March last year, the authorities discovered the body of 21-year-old David Dragicevic in a local river in the northern-Bosnian town of Banjaluka. Police initially said the death was the result of drowning, but the family and all those involved in the ‘Justice for David’ group say the police are trying to hide the perpetrators of the murder.
The protests that followed turned into an ongoing anti-government movement.
Dragicevic’s death and the allegations against the authorities caused shock-waves in the RS, but also the entire country.
Protesters in Banjaluka, the administrative centre of the RS, have been gathering to light candles for Dragicevic and raising their fist in support for the movement but were then often detained before the police banned them from gathering in the city altogether.
David's body was exhumed and reburied in Austria, in March this year, following his parents’ claims he would not find peace in Banjaluka as long as his case remains unresolved and perpetrators unpunished.
Commenting on his attorney's request that the case be transferred to the State Prosecution, Dragicevic said he supported that motion all this time.
“We've been asking for that for over a year. The State Prosecution should take over this case because (David's) murderers are not conducting an investigation,” Dragicevic who moved to Vienna, Austria some time ago out of fears for his safety, noted, adding he would return to Banjaluka when he receives confirmation that there is no criminal or misdemeanour investigation against him.
