Čović wrote to Inzko, Sattler, Nelson about anti-Croatian hysteria in the heart of Herzegovina led by SDA

(Patria) - HDZ BiH President Dragan Čović sent a letter to High Representative Valentin Inzko, requesting his engagement regarding the election of the Mayor of Mostar.

In the letter also addressed to the OSCE, the Delegation of the European Union to Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the Embassy of the United States of America to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Čović stated that yesterday's developments in the Mostar City Council represent a new attempt to "discredit rules and laws".

"In our previous correspondence, we clearly warned about indications of a possible threat to the election process in Mostar and justifiably called for the presence and vigilance of representatives of the international community in BiH, in order to ensure that the elections in Mostar proceed in a fair competition and in a just manner. Your presence and vigilance in this regard are still needed, as the election itself has not resolved all the issues that are unjustly placed on the burden of this city and all its citizens," Čović stated.

He stated that the "focus of illegal activities is directed against Croatian political entities, and thus against citizens of Croatian nationality in the city of Mostar".

"In favor of options led by the Party of Democratic Action (SDA), which, following the tried and tested recipe of anti-Croatian hysteria and campaigns, by imposing the absurd 'pro-Bosnian' denomination in the heart of Herzegovina, are trying in every possible way to establish a single-national government and destroy any perspective and hope for a brighter future in this city. This is a classic example of mimicry, where party nationalist goals are presented as something else entirely, while in reality, they incite the deepest discord and divisions that must finally stop," Čović said.

Every political goal, the letter adds, can be considered legitimate if its achievement does not violate laws and general ethical and political principles.

"However, the latest developments in Mostar have convinced us once again that this is not the case. We are witnessing how all rules and laws are unscrupulously violated and discredited in attempts to impose new 'solutions' on Mostar through pressure and extortion, which have no statutory or legal basis whatsoever," Čović believes.

According to him, the latest example of this is the conditioning of the continuation of the mayoral election process, which is very clearly procedurally defined, by introducing a 'three-member mayoralty', "a distinctly strange hybrid form that is unknown to local governance or the concept of good governance".

"The question arises as to what the real goal of such unreasonable action and serious challenging of the establishment of city government is, after so many years of its absence, which has left a deep scar on the fabric of the city that yearns for agreement, harmony, development, and Europeanization. Their only outcome can be further blockades, deeper divisions, and complete dysfunctionality of the city administration. This is unacceptable because it is not in line with the expectations of the citizens, nor is it what they deserve," Čović states in his letter.

This, it is further stated, is an attempt to thwart the legitimate electoral will of the citizens of Mostar in every possible way and to block the process of electing the mayor, and thus the establishment of a functional city government.

"We are at a critical moment when it is very important that you jointly comment on the non-statutory and legally unfounded political demands, which are completely unacceptable as a mechanism for conditioning the process of completing the election in Mostar, to the satisfaction and for the benefit of all its citizens. I hope you recognize the full harm of such an endeavor, as well as the need to decisively condemn and thwart it," Čović emphasized.

He added that after the City Council of the City of Mostar was constituted, it remains only to urgently complete the process of electing the mayor.

"Despite all the irregularities that have occurred in the past period, two months after the elections were held, and based on the adopted amendments to the Election Law of BiH that followed the signing of the Political Agreement for the City of Mostar on February 2, 2021, we finally have a constituted City Council of 35 councilors. It remains for us to urgently complete the process of electing the mayor in order to avoid attempts at further blockades and discrediting the electoral will of all residents of Mostar. The next step is the election of the mayor in the manner prescribed by law and procedures, and in no other way. Help us at this crucial moment to prevent institutional tyranny and chaos, which can arise from unreasonable conditioning and challenging the implementation of the will of the citizens in the held elections," Čović wrote in his letter.