Bajramović: We will make Vogošća the largest and most beautiful industrial zone in Canton Sarajevo

SDP candidate for mayor of Vogošća municipality in the October 2nd elections, Eldin Bajramović, tells Patria how he plans to make Vogošća the largest and most beautiful industrial zone in Canton Sarajevo, support citizens in their small businesses, and revive the natural oasis of Motka near the city.

The young and handsome lawyer says he is ready to leave a secure and relatively peaceful job at one of the largest insurance companies in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and offer his knowledge for the development of his municipality.

- I think it took a lot of effort and talent to destroy what Vogošća had. I am convinced that it would have been much easier to renovate the facilities and start production. But it is not too late even now. We can still make Vogošća one of the most desirable places to live in Canton Sarajevo - says Bajramović.

Patria: Most young people in BiH dream of a job in a state-owned company, where the salary is good and secure, and yet they don't work as much as in the private sector. Most people would sign up to do such a job for the rest of their lives. You are a legal expert. You are currently employed at Sarajevo Osiguranje, the largest domestic insurance company. How is it that you want to leave a relatively peaceful job and tackle all the local problems, and there are quite a few of them in Vogošća?

Bajramović: I wish you weren't right. Unfortunately, people do everything they can in the struggle for personal existence. That's how we arrived at today's society where parties have become employment bureaus. But that's an escape from reality. Our reality is that we still live in a society of poor economy, poverty, unemployment... We are becoming a society of great social differences. Such societies in the world have a high rate of crime, corruption, drug addiction... In such societies, most of the population does not live well. They live very poorly. Sooner or later, the consequences of such a system will catch up with us. That is also the reason why I have the desire and will to tackle the problems.

I am aware of the fact that I am leaving a secure and much quieter job, but I am also aware of the fact that if the people around me are not doing well, then I am not doing well either. It's something within me, that's how I was raised. If my neighbor is hungry, I cannot turn my head and think that everything is fine. I am sure that when we use our knowledge, intelligence, and resources, we will make Vogošća a place of beautiful living.

Patria: Vogošća, along with Koper in Slovenia, was one of the most developed municipalities in former Yugoslavia. Around 12,000 workers entered the Pretisa complex every day. The war destroyed the factories, and post-war privatization "buried" what the shells failed to destroy. However, despite all that, some infrastructure remained. Vogošća is located along Corridor 5c. A road and a railway line connect to the Petis complex on one side and the other. How is it possible that local authorities do not know how to use this? If Vogošća has not become a student city, can it become an industrial zone?

Bajramović: Vogošća should have become the industrial zone of Canton Sarajevo long ago. I think it took a lot of effort and talent to destroy what you listed. I am convinced that it would have been much easier to renovate the facilities and start production. I don't understand at all how it could have happened that large companies like Gorenje and Würth did not open their branches in our industrial zone. And the list of other large international companies that have established their representative offices in Canton Sarajevo is quite long. And none, absolutely none of them came to Vogošća. And we have everything. Road communications, a tidy space, a railway line... This means it's about the people. Those who manage and have managed our municipality all these years. We simply have to wake up, become aware, and start working.

Creating a better business environment today does not require inventing miracles. We have many bright examples of good business environments, and we only need to apply the good practices of successful ones. Our first step is to establish a "One-stop" office for the development of local entrepreneurship. With this step, we want to give all individuals a chance to realize their business ideas. The one-stop office will facilitate the registration of companies for our fellow citizens by shortening the time required for registration and reducing registration costs to a minimum. 

We will support all good business ideas and help start the implementation of business plans for people who are not financially able to realize their ideas. The one-stop office will have a department for business and marketing consulting, which will provide our fellow citizens with the necessary support from all segments of business. We will use our experts and students from various fields to help our fellow citizens in successful business operations.

Patria: Do you also think, like most citizens, that Vogošća is just a large dormitory town and that entire families have to go to other municipalities to achieve their potential?

Bajramović: I don't think so - I know so. It's not a matter of opinion, it's a fact. And that's what hurts us. The empty bus stop in front of Pretisa tells us a story every day about how we were once better, more successful, and more prosperous. And that is our goal, to make that bus stop operational again. The implementation of our plan "Plan for a Better Vogošća" will change this picture. People from other cities will come to Vogošća to work.  Then we will know that we are starting to progress. And that bus stop should be a measure of the success of the people running this municipality.

Patria: It seems that even things that could have been done have not been done due to the incompetence of local authorities. Vogošća is the gateway to the center of Sarajevo, but on both sides of the main road passing through Vogošća, we have destroyed buildings, such as part of the Hotel Biokovo. Opposite the hotel is some kind of concrete structure that serves no one. People in the center of Vogošća stack firewood on the sidewalks. Municipal authorities are renovating a park that was already renovated, while in settlements like Rosulje or Blagovac, we still have streets that are not asphalted, even though the residents of those settlements have paid exorbitant amounts for building permits. 

Bajramović: The city is left to itself and the citizens are neglected. At first glance, one might say that something is being done, albeit a few months before the elections. But the details you mentioned bring us back to reality. The reality is that our government is not interested in our citizens, their needs, and the quality of life of those citizens who pay their money to the municipality in order to have a better life.

On the other hand, we hear politicians saying how they have built something... That's not true, the citizens built it, they provided the money for it, through taxes, fees... The municipal administration was only entrusted with managing that money. That's the real truth. And unfortunately, this spending of citizens' money does not bring us a better and higher quality of life. We have lived in peace for twenty years. After these twenty wasted years, our citizen, who works in Sarajevo, spends 2-3 hours a day commuting to and from work. That is precious time, time that people should spend with their families, friends... If this problem could not be solved in 20 years, then I can only conclude that our government does not care about us citizens.

Patria: Vogošća is also rich in natural beauty. Skakavac has been a cult place for Sarajevans for years when it comes to excursions, while almost no one has heard of Vogošća's Motka, even though it is located across from Skakavac.

Bajramović: No one promotes the values of Vogošća. Motka is a place that fills both the soul and the heart. There, one realizes what a treasure God has given us. I must say that I am delighted with the efforts and commitment of the members of PD Planinar from Vogošća and the results they are achieving. Thanks to them, we now have a mountain lodge that is a bright spot in our municipality. And we will protect this bright spot of ours. In cooperation with the mountaineering club, we will work on promoting the natural beauty we have. On the other hand, we will encourage our citizens to visit Motka, and we will provide transportation for all those who cannot get to Motka.