The President of HDZ and the Croatian National Assembly (HNS) of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), Dragan Covic, condemned on Wednesday in Mostar the burning of the official vehicle of the mayor of Mostar, Mario Kordic, saying that the perpetrators will be held accountable, and that Mostar, despite the incident, remains committed to peace, stability and the European path.
“I deeply believe that our system, which we have at the cantonal and city levels and which takes care of our security, is functioning, and we must rely on it. On the other hand, it is truly shocking that at the end of 2025 someone can act in an inappropriate way towards institutions that look after the lives of the citizens of BiH, and what is more than the mayoral function in Mostar,” Covic said.
He adds that he spoke with and encouraged the mayor of Mostar and his family, and that he also communicated with all the necessary institutions in the area of the city, the canton, but also at the level of the Republic of Croatia.
“I spoke with Mr. Plenkovic, and he also called Mr. Kordic. We must understand how important it is to send a message that will calm tensions, and there are people who would immediately respond to this in different ways. We must be honest, since the time of Dayton, Mostar has always been the center of all sorts of policies that wanted in some way to make it the center of a problem. Those who did this will have to be held accountable, and whoever the instigator or executor of this event is cannot undermine relations in the city of Mostar, that is the message I am sending today,” Covic stated.
To those who imagine that they can once again place Herzegovina at the center of a problem, as he says, they are responding very clearly with their political strength, actions, and the unity of the Croatian people and all their institutions.
“We call on all those wise people from the other, or the third side, who share this space with us, to try to seek what we transparently set about a year ago as our basic goal, and that is peace and stability, the European path, and, of course, the constitutional equality of the three peoples. That is how we will permanently succeed. I am convinced that all people in BiH, including in Mostar, want to live in peace and for this city to develop normally, to become a city of tourism, science, and youth. That is what I can send as a message to all those who are silent today and are waiting for what the next move of HDZ will be. As the president of this party, I am saying very clearly today that Mostar will not become a ‘problem city,’ whatever anyone may wish. Mostar will continue to develop, and we are sending full support to Mayor Kordic; he and his family are not alone,” Covic said.
If this is preparation for some election process, Covic emphasizes that it is too early for that.
“There will be various considerations in these next ten or so months. Everyone has their position on the political scene; everyone has, with their moves and work over the past 10 or so years, or if you like, over the past three years, already run a campaign. There is no need for any emphasized campaign. In Mostar, we are going to build what is needed, and that is cultural, religious, scientific, sports, and economic institutions and all the necessary infrastructure,” Covic said.
He stressed that he will not allow anyone to undermine the stability of the city of Mostar, the canton, nor the whole of BiH.
“That is the clear policy of HDZ BiH. I think that this event will not further reflect in a negative sense and have broader consequences for political stability and the security situation in Herzegovina, and that primarily depends on the holders of political thought or political life in both Mostar and BiH. I have said on behalf of HDZ policy what I think about all this, meaning that for us nothing is more important than peace and stability, an organized system where decisions are made transparently, and a real system that can function according to European standards,” Covic stated.
He emphasized that HDZ BiH wants the Euro-Atlantic path, but in parallel with that, to organize society in BiH according to the measure of the three constituent peoples, who “must sit and agree on that.”
“I call on all those who are silent today and perhaps do not give significance to this event, to state themselves in a similar way. That is the way to lead politics responsibly, not to ask for someone to come from outside and once again solve the problems of us in BiH. I am sure that we will know how to lead these processes, and for all those who had similar intentions and temptations, and on some other considerations, disagreements over some policies, that the system will catch up with them very clearly and that they will have to answer before the law, and so will the one who committed the burning of the official car of the Mostar mayor, and the one who encouraged or ordered something like this, whoever it may be,” Covic concluded.
