Bosnian Mustafa Selimspahić candidate for the provincial parliament of Upper Austria

This year is an election year in most Austrian provinces, when citizens will elect their representatives to municipal councils, mayors, as well as representatives for the provincial parliament or as Austrians call it Landtag, writes the news agency Patria (NAP).

A large number of candidates of Bosnian origin will be on these lists, such as Mustafa Selimspahić from the city of Enns, who, as a candidate of the Social Democratic Party of Austria (SPÖ), is on the list for the provincial parliament of Upper Austria – Oberösterreich.

For this reason, they say in Austria, this year is particularly important for voters of BiH origin, and somewhat more important for those living in the province of Upper Austria, as they are the largest immigrant group there.

Selimspahić has been working as a native language teacher in Enns and its surroundings for 24 years, and has also served as a municipal councilor since 2009. Now he will try to enter the Parliament of Upper Austria.

Linz: The capital and largest city of the province of Upper Austria 

- Upper Austria must become and remain an environment where everyone feels at home, an environment where the expertise of immigrants is respected, an environment where everyone will have equal opportunities and will not be discriminated against because they have different first and last names – says Selimspahić. Since his arrival in Austria, he has been involved in several BiH associations, through which he has initiated and organized numerous projects to help Bosnia and Herzegovina.

- We must nurture the connection with Bosnia and Herzegovina – says Selimspahić.

In addition to Selimspahić, several other candidates of BiH origin will be on the election lists across Austria, who will compete for seats in city councils, such as Almir Balihodžić who will fight for a seat in the city council in Linz, Asmir Ćosić who will try to enter the city council in Ansfelden, or Aziz Omersoftić who is a candidate for the city council in Perg...

Beautiful landscape of Upper Austria

Selimspahić says that the basic idea of his work has always been to respect the laws and rules of conduct of Austria, which he says is a beautiful country, but at the same time he always emphasizes that it is not good to forget one's own language and culture.

Although an immigrant group, Bosnians and Herzegovinians have quickly grown into an important social factor in Austria, writes Patria.