(ANSA) - SARAJEVO, FEB 9 - Siniša Karan, of the nationalist Snsd party and considered a loyalist of Milorad Dodik, is the new president of Republika Srpska (Rs), Bosnia and Herzegovina's Serb-majority entity. In today's partial rerun of the Nov. 23 early presidential vote, Karan increased, albeit by a small margin, his previous lead of about 10,000 votes over opposition candidate Branko Blanuša (Sds) obtained in November before the vote was annulled in 136 polling stations in 17 constituencies, between the capital Banja Luka and Brčko district: 224,384 votes went to him today and 213,513 to Blanuša. The turnout today was 49.5 percent of the 84,400 or so voters called to vote again, far higher than in November, when 35 percent voted. The vote was monitored by 4,894 observers, 9 appointed at the request of the Russian Embassy in Sarajevo. Karan delivered a short speech and thanked for the votes received, "Everything we do, we will do in the interest of the progress of the citizens, with gratitude to those who gave us a chance." Former President Dodik, who was deposed last August, was congratulated: "Today the difference is greater than in November. We defeated Christian Schmidt and the international factors that sowed chaos here," he said, referring to the international community's special envoy for Bosnia, whose authority Dodik does not recognize. For failing to comply with his instructions Dodik was sentenced to six years' disqualification from public office by the Sarajevo Tribunal and then deposed. Now the separatist inspiration of the Snsd nationalists risks continuing to push the Rs on a collision course with the Croat-Muslim Federation and the federal authority in Sarajevo. (ANSA).