Mostar - City Government

City Government

The City of Mostar has the status of a municipality. The city government is led by the Mayor. The current Mayor of Mostar is Ljubo Bešlić (HDZ). The City Council is composed of 35 representatives, coming from the following political parties:

• Croatian Coalition 13
• Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ)
• United Croatian Party of Rights (UHSP)
• Croatian Party of Rights (HSP)
• Croatian Christian Democratic Union (HKDU)
• Croatian People's Union (HNZ)
• Party of Democratic Action (SDA) 10
• Social Democratic Party (SDP) 4
• Party for Bosnia and Herzegovina 4
• People's Party Work for Betterment 1
• Croatian Coalition 1
• Croatian Party of Rights (HSP)
• Croatian Pure Party of Rights (HČSP)
• Independent 2

2008 constitutional crisis

According to the constitution, imposed by High Representative Paddy Ashdown on January 28, 2004 after local politicians failed to reach an agreement, the mayor of Mostar has to be elected by the city council with 2/3 majority. Ashdown abolished the six municipalities that were divided equally among Bosniaks and Croats and replaced them with six electoral units, ridding Mostar of duplicate institutions and costs. In the process Ashdown also reduced the number of elected officials from 194 to 35. According to the constitution the constitutive nations of Bosnia and Herzegovina (Bosniaks, Croats, and Serbs) are guaranteed a minimum of four seats and a maximum of 15 seats. 18 deputies are elected by the election units: 3 deputies from each district and 15 deputies are elected at the level of entire city. This move was opposed by the Party for Democratic Action (SDA) and the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ).

In October 2008, there were elections for the city council. Relative winners were HDZ BiH with the greatest number of votes. However, neither party had enough votes to ensure election of the mayor from their party. The city council met 16 times without success. Eventually OHR was involved and High Representative made some minor changes to city's Statute. After that Ljubo Bešlić, running as a candidate of Croatian Democratic Union, was reelected as a mayor.

In a January 26 poll organized by the international community, 75 percent of Mostar’s citizens said that they support the idea of a unified city.

Statute of the City of Mostar

In 2011. the constitutional court declared current Statute as unconstitutional, because the numbers of deputies from city districts don't match the number of voters in each district. The City is waiting for the new Statute to be created, and many believe that such a thing will need to be carried by OHR. In November of 2011 Roderick W. Moore, the Principal Deputy High Representative, emphasized the importance of the urgent acts towards adoption of the new, constitutional Statute.