For more than two years, the U.S. Embassy and the international community has supported the Office of the High Representative’s efforts to help the parties resolve the situation in Mostar. For more than two years, SDA and HDZ have been unwilling to compromise – leaving the citizens of the city to suffer, and denying them their basic democratic right to elect local officials. Yesterday, the High Representative wrote to the leaders of the Parliamentary Assembly to urge their immediate attention on this issue in order to ensure that elections can be held in Mostar along with the General Elections in October.
In the letter, the High Representative proposes readily acceptable changes to the election law, based on the framework document agreed to by all six parties last year. The changes create three cross-river electoral constituencies based on Mostar’s existing city areas. These changes are for the specific purpose of enabling the citizens of Mostar to finally elect a city council. Equally important, the changes are to be temporary, with the newly elected Council serving only until 2016. During that time, elected officials would propose their vision for the city, and allow Mostar to hold elections in conjunction with regularly scheduled local elections.
In its 2010 ruling, the BiH Constitutional Court tasked that the Election Law be changed. Political leaders have failed in this task. Political parties, particularly SDA and HDZ BiH, have long avoided their responsibility in Mostar, selfishly focusing on election models that build personal empires, while selling out the citizens they are supposed to represent.
This proposal, however, offers an opportunity to address the dire circumstances facing Mostar’s residents – if leaders can muster the political will to act. The people of Mostar have waited long enough, and they deserve the ability to elect a city council now. It is now up to parties in the Parliament of BiH to do what they are elected for – to act in the name of the citizens and adopt the necessary legislation.
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