80 meetings later, still no solution for Mostar dispute

Mostar The deputy high international representative in Bosnia has appraised the situation in the town of Mostar as "dangerous", due to a "political crisis there". Roderick Moore of the OHR said the crisis recently culminated with an explosion that demolished a memorial for the wartime Army of Bosnia-Herzegovina. The persons who caused the incident have not yet been found. 80 meetings later, still no solution for Mostar dispute "The situation is dangerous in Mostar, we saw bombs being planted, we heard that some families moved out of the Boulevard," the American diplomat was quoted as saying after his two-day visit to Mostar. As for the local political crisis, he said the Office of the High Representative (OHR) would not impose any changes to the town's statute. Disagreements over the documents resulted in Mostar being the only town in Bosnia-Herzegovina where local elections were not held last October. Moore held meetings on this subject with political leaders, and also local Mufti Seid Smajkic. The OHR launched a series of meetings in mid-2012 with the eight parties represented in the Mostar town hall, but during the 80 meetings held to date, they failed to reach an agreement on introducing changes to the statute. The statute was previously declared unconstitutional by the Constitutional Court of Bosnia-Herzegovina for violating regulations on proportional election of councilors, after Croat parties filed a complaint. On Thursday, the councilors managed only to agree to adopt a temporary local budget that will span the next three months. According to Moore - who stressed that a solution would not be imposed - the two biggest parties, the Croat HDZ, and the Bosniak (Muslim) SDA are the main reason why there has been no agreement on implementing the Constitutional Court's decision. He also said that they "did not wish to agree to compromise solutions". According to media reports, Moore also stated that "the suggestions of the SDA and the HDZ are not contrary to the Constitutional Court ruling". Tanjug

80 meetings later, still no solution for Mostar dispute

"The situation is dangerous in Mostar, we saw bombs being planted, we heard that some families moved out of the Boulevard," the American diplomat was quoted as saying after his two-day visit to Mostar.

As for the local political crisis, he said the Office of the High Representative (OHR) would not impose any changes to the town's statute. Disagreements over the documents resulted in Mostar being the only town in Bosnia-Herzegovina where local elections were not held last October.

Moore held meetings on this subject with political leaders, and also local Mufti Seid Smajkić.

The OHR launched a series of meetings in mid-2012 with the eight parties represented in the Mostar town hall, but during the 80 meetings held to date, they failed to reach an agreement on introducing changes to the statute.

The statute was previously declared unconstitutional by the Constitutional Court of Bosnia-Herzegovina for violating regulations on proportional election of councilors, after Croat parties filed a complaint.

On Thursday, the councilors managed only to agree to adopt a temporary local budget that will span the next three months.

According to Moore - who stressed that a solution would not be imposed - the two biggest parties, the Croat HDZ, and the Bosniak (Muslim) SDA are the main reason why there has been no agreement on implementing the Constitutional Court's decision. He also said that they "did not wish to agree to compromise solutions".

According to media reports, Moore also stated that "the suggestions of the SDA and the HDZ are not contrary to the Constitutional Court ruling".