Since the end of the war in 1996, the city of Mostar has been governed under a carefully elaborated policy of national equality between Croats and Bosniaks. This means that no ethnicity controls the whole city, but each controls one half – Croats the west, and Bosniaks the east. However, it’s been nine months now that the city of Mostar is without its mayor, since two leading parties cannot come to the agreement.  

– Irresponsibility of political leaders
The leaders of two leading political parties HDZ (Croats) and SDA (Bosniaks) insist that the mayor should be Croatian coming strictly from HDZ party or Bosniak coming strictly from SDA. Therefore, NSRB’s offer, as third party who won on the local elections in 2008, to give away one of their own representative, Croatian or Bosniak, was rejected.

“The caprice and stubbornness of newly (now old-ly) elected councilors cannot be justified. Situation that they have created in Mostar, clearly represents their irresponsibility towards their voters, citizens of Mostar”, says Muhamed Dzemidzic, Executive Director of Helsinki Committee of B&H. “They should immediately come to the agreement and show its political will and professionalism to people that elected them”.

If not, Mr. Dzemidzic reckons that the leaders of these two parties on the state level, Dragan Covic (HDZ) and Sulejman Tihic (SDA) must intervene then, and apply their cooperation and dialogue which they have, in Mostar case as well, since “this situation in Mostar, and tensions that are being created there, could reflect on the whole state of B&H.” 

– Discontent in the City Council
Councilor from SDP (Social-Democratic Party), Selma Jakupovic stated for FENA, that the political situation in Mostar is nothing but a burlesque, and that leaders of parties HDZ, SDA and NSRB, have to come to the agreement over the new mayor.

“Now it’s quite obvious that somebody has no interest in electing a new mayor. And citizens of Mostar keep being silent for months. I have to say, unfortunately, that I feel embarrassed for sitting in an institution such as City Council of Mostar”, said Ms. Jakupovic.

Councilor Marko Romic from NSRB has said that it became very frustrating taking the participation in “dysfunction” of the City Council, stressing as well that the situation will not change until the leaders of two parties do not come to the agreement.

Since the day of its establishment, November 20th 2008, the City Council of Mostar has brought only one official decision regarding temporary financing of the City of Mostar for the first three months in 2009. This decision has been made on irregular session of the City Council of Mostar, after two unsuccessful try-outs on its regular sessions.

– Time  for Bosnians to show political maturity
In the latest briefing by International Crisis Group, it is noted that the international community should make clear that fourteen years after the end of their war, it is time for the Bosnians to take responsibility for   their own futures.

“The leaders of Mostar, like those of the whole country, will have to assume full responsibility for their governance”, says Sabine Freizer, Crisis Group´s Europe Program Director.  “Bosnians must show political maturity to run their own affairs”.

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