Prague, May 20 (RFE/RL) -- The former prime minister of Bosnia says Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic should not be allowed to run in general Bosnian-wide elections set for September.
Haris Silajdzic was commenting in an exclusive interview Friday with RFE/RL in Prague.
Silajdzic said the transition to democracy in Bosnia would have been "easier" if both Karadzic and Bosnian Serb military leader Ratko Mladic had been arrested to stand trial for war crimes. The two were indicted for crimes against humanity by the U.N. war crimes tribunal in The Hague.
Silajdzic said his recently-formed Party for Bosnia-Herzegovina represents the "broad avenue of Bosnian Bosnia." He stressed the holding of the elections mandated in the Dayton peace accord will ensure the transition to democracy in Bosnia.
Earlier in the day, Silajdzic met with Czech President Vaclav Havel. Thursday, Silajdzic discussed the situation in Bosnia with Czech Foreign Minister Josef Zieleniec. He also met with leaders of the ethnic Bosnian community in Prague.