Mostar gained legal and legitimate power. A new City Council has been constituted, numbering 35 councilors, from whom the citizens of Mostar expect the solution of long-standing accumulated problems.
The new convocation of the City Council includes 13 councilors of the HDZ B&H, 11 councilors of the Coalition for Mostar (SDA, SBB, DF, SB&H, BPS), and six councilors of B&H Block (SDP B&H, 3 councilors from the Croatian Republican Party, and one councilor of the First Mostar Party and the list "Stay here - Together for our Mostar".
Candidates for the Mayor are Irma Baralija from B&H Block, Zlatko Guzin from the Coalition for Mostar gathered around the SDA and Mario Kordić from the HDZ B&H.
This is a historic session, since the inhabitants of the largest city on the Neretva river have not had legislative power since 2012., after Mostar was left out of the election cycle due to non-implementation of the decision of the B&H Constitutional Court. The last one, let us remind you, was in 2008.
Also, this is the first time that a session of the legislature is held in the City Hall, which has been opened almost nine years ago. Because, the then government, ie Mostar City Council, due to various disputes and, especially, the so-called "monument crisis" case, never held a joint session in that building.
At the first session, which will be chaired by the oldest councilor until the election of the City Council, Tomislav Primorac (HDZ B&H), it was proposed to verify the mandate of councilors, take and sign the oath, form clubs of constituent peoples, elect president and deputy president of the City Council and elect Mayor.
However, it is difficult to expect that the people of Mostar will get full authority today. Especially when it comes to the election of the mayor, who is elected in Mostar from among the councilors.
Among political actors, for now, there is no agreement on reaching a broader coalition, which will secure a two-thirds majority for the election of the mayor, which is needed in the first two rounds. In the third round, if in the previous two no candidate receives a two-thirds majority, ie, 24 out of 35 councilors, a simple majority of the councilors present is sufficient.
Candidates for mayor are Dr. Mario Kordić (HDZ B&H), Dr. Zlatko Guzin (Coalition for Mostar-SDA, SBB, DF, S B&H and DF) and Irma Baralija (B&H Block - SDP and Our party).
As things are at the moment, today's session could possibly end with the first round of voting for the election of the mayor.
By the way, HDZ B&H will have 13 councilors, "Coalition for Mostar" 11, B&H Block six, HRS three and the First Mostar Party and the "Stay Here" list (SNSD-SDS) one councilor each.
