Plavsic: Under pressure

Bosnian Serb Crisis Worsens

It is the latest twist in the power struggle in the Bosnian Serb republic between President Biljana Plavsic and hardline supporters of the former president, Radovan Karadzic.

Several officials including two deputy premiers, left the party in protest at a ruling by the Constitutional Court against the President.

The court said she was wrong to dissolve parliament and call early elections. The ruling was condemned by the international community.

The International High Representative to Bosnia, Carlos Westendorp, said the decision had clearly been taken under political pressure, and early elections under international supervision were the only possible way to resolve the crisis.

The United States called the ruling a legally invalid, political act. Aides to Mrs Plavsic say she'll ignore the ruling.

A power struggle erupted between Mrs Plavsic and her hardline opponents after she dissolved parliament last month and called general elections in Bosnia's Serb territory. There seems to be little indication that a compromise can be reached between Mrs Plavsic and her hardline opponents.

The United States and European governments have thrown their support behind her because they see her as more willing to cooperate with efforts to enforce a peace treaty.

Although a nationalist ideologue herself, Mrs Plavsic has broken with Mr Karadzic and his allies, accusing them running smuggling rackets at the expense of ordinary people and damaging Serb interests by obstructing peace mediators.

She has formed her own party and has announced that its first convention will take place towards the end of August. The new party will give Mrs Plavsic the opportunity to weaken her opponents, though it's unlikely she can do severe damage to them as they have a very powerful hold over the Bosnian Serb Republic.