Sarajevo, Bosnia, Dec 29 (Prensa Latina) Rajko Kuzmanovic, new President of the Serbian Republic of Bosnia, was sworn-in Friday in Banja Luka, the capital.
Kuzmanovic, a retired law professor, 76 years old, replaces the late Milan Jelic, who died September 30 of a heart attack, less than a year after he had been elected president.
Early presidential elections were held December 9, and Kuzmanovic obtained nearly 42 percent of the votes.
He is the seventh president of the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats federation, set up after the 1992-95 civil war after the disintegration of Yugoslavia.
Led by Bosnian Prime Minister Milorad Dodik, the federation is composed of Serbia and the Federation of Croats and Muslims.
Each of these semi-independent entities has its own president, government, legislature and police forces, with a collegiate presidency, and a common parliament.