City of Sarajevo Enters 2022 with Adopted Budget, 2.8 Million for Capital Investments

SARAJevo, (Patria) The City Council of Sarajevo, at today's 10th session chaired by Jasmin Ademović, President of the City Council, adopted the Decision on amending the decision on granting authority to perform the function of public attorney. Namely, the City Council of Sarajevo did not make a decision on appointing the public attorney of the City of Sarajevo, following the previously published Public Advertisement for the selection and appointment of the public attorney of the Public Attorney's Office of the City of Sarajevo. Given that the Decision on granting authority to perform the function of the public attorney of the City of Sarajevo was valid until the completion of the tender procedure according to the Public Advertisement, and that it has been completed, an amendment to the Decision was made, so that the authority is granted until the final appointment of the public attorney of the City of Sarajevo.

Continuing the session, and after the public debate and the adoption of proposals from the working bodies of the City Council, as well as the mayor and city municipalities, the Work Program of the City Council of Sarajevo for 2022 was adopted. This program contains the topics that the City Council will consider in 2022, in accordance with the law and the Statute of the City of Sarajevo, as well as city regulations, and within the scope of the City of Sarajevo.

President Ademović emphasized that the adopted Program is the result of several months of activities by city councilors, the working bodies of the City Council, and the mayor. In addition to the topics that the Statute, laws, and city regulations oblige us to address, topics were also proposed that reflect the intention of the City of Sarajevo's bodies to act in the coming year, stemming from the policies that citizens supported by voting in the local elections. These policies have been translated into initiatives, conclusions, and decisions of the City Council, which direct the work of the City of Sarajevo's bodies for the benefit of the citizens, Ademović said.

The City Council, continuing the session, adopted the Program of International Cooperation of the City of Sarajevo for 2022. The international cooperation of the City of Sarajevo, which is primarily aimed at the city's development, focuses on implementing activities aimed at strengthening regional cooperation, coordination, and networking of capital cities, which play an increasingly important role in the development of countries, both in the region and throughout Europe. The activities of the City of Sarajevo in the field of international cooperation during 2022 will take place at the bilateral and multilateral levels, as well as through cooperation with diplomatic-consular representations.

The Program for the erection of monuments and art sculptures of significance to the City of Sarajevo, for which the City of Sarajevo is the investor for 2022, was also adopted at today's session. The planned program activities in 2022 include the erection of a Monument to civilian victims of the city - Sarajevo Canton and a Monument to King Tvrtko I Kotromanić.

Subsequently, the Decision on granting consent to the Lease Agreement for part of the ground floor of the Bistrik Railway Station building and authorizing the mayor to sign it was adopted. The purpose is to establish museum activities of significance to the Bistrik Railway Station, as well as for the complete renovation, rehabilitation, and reconstruction of the Bistrik Railway Station building.

The Decision on granting consent to the Program for marking April 6th – Sarajevo City Day in 2022 was also adopted. This year, depending on epidemiological measures, City Day is planned to be celebrated with a Ceremonial Session of the City Council, laying of flowers, numerous cultural and sports events, and many other events that highlight the significance of this date.

The Deputy President of the City Council, Mirela Džehverović, submitted an amendment that the mayor accepted. The program now includes the staging of children's plays "Is it just a story from the Sarajevo Cable Car" by the Association of Dramatic Actors "Mundo Mondo," at two locations: in the Children's House in Novi Grad and in the Center for Culture and Youth of the Centar Municipality. The mayor also accepted the proposal of city councilor Ratko Orozović to include screenings of his original short films about Sarajevo within the framework of the Sarajevo City Day program.

City councilors considered and adopted the Program of Cooperation with the Diaspora. The City of Sarajevo has established twinning relations with 30 and partnership relations with 13 cities in Europe and the world. In order to encourage and strengthen cooperation, not only with cities with which we already have established cooperation, but also with other cities for which there is mutual interest in establishing cooperation in areas of common interest, the diaspora of Bosnia and Herzegovina plays a significant role, whose potential can be used to attract investments, promote tourism, and other potentials.

Continuing the session, a decision was adopted whereby the City Council grants consent to the mayor to participate in co-financing the Project for the reconstruction of the children's playground in Trg Grada Prato street with the Municipality of Novi Grad Sarajevo.

At the initiative of the mayor, and upon the proposal of the Association of Resistance Organizers, War Veterans, Volunteers, First Fighters, Defenders "Bosnae – Zelene Beretke" (Green Berets), the Decision on erecting a Memorial Plaque for the fallen members of the Green Berets during the liberation action of hill 1162 – Vidikovac, at the arrival station of the Trebević Cable Car Ramo Biber, was adopted, according to the established Conceptual Design.

City councilors, continuing the session, adopted the Budget of the City of Sarajevo for 2022 in the amount of 21,280,673 KM, as proposed and supplemented with solutions from accepted, i.e., adopted amendments by city councilors from NIP, NS, and SDP. These amendments, among other things, related to support for projects of JP Olympic Pool Otoka and JU City Museums of Sarajevo, as well as JU Libraries of Sarajevo. The mayor also accepted an amendment proposing the allocation of funds for the realization of the project "Holiday in Sarajevo," where the City of Sarajevo would host children from the smaller entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina during the winter holidays.

The adopted budget will enable, among other things, the continuation of initiated and the commencement of new projects of significance for the city of Sarajevo. Thus, 2,841,077.00 KM is planned for capital grants (transfers), which will, among other things, finance projects such as: the construction of a sewage system for the upper station of Trebević, the renovation and reconstruction of the Trebević Astronomical Observatory, the arrangement of a section of the local road Bentbaša – Kozja ćuprija – Lapišnica – M5 (Dariva – Kozja ćuprija section), the revitalization of the Trebević Bobsled track, the renovation and reconstruction of Bistrički potok, Koševski potok, and Ramića potok, the project for the reconstruction, restoration, and color treatment of facades in the city of Sarajevo, the design and construction of a bicycle path, as well as other projects aimed at the city's development. The Decision on the Execution of the Budget of the City of Sarajevo for 2022 was also adopted.

Mayor Benjamina Karić thanked the city councilors for their unanimous support in adopting this most important document for the functioning of the City of Sarajevo.

Subsequently, the Decision on supplementing the Decision on Seals and Stamps of the City of Sarajevo and the Decision on working hours in the bodies of the City of Sarajevo were adopted.

Furthermore, city councilors, by adopting a decision, relieved a member of a working body of the City Council. Decisions on the election of new members of the working bodies of the City Council of Sarajevo were also adopted.

The Report on the state of public service in the City of Sarajevo, the Report on cooperation and relations of the City of Sarajevo with national minorities, and the Report on the use of current reserve funds were considered and adopted.

The City Council, continuing the session, considered the Draft Strategy for the Development of the City of Sarajevo 2021-2027, which, among other things, defines the long-term vision of the City of Sarajevo and key strategic goals for the planned period. In connection with the consideration of this important strategic document, the city councilors adopted a conclusion to send the Draft Strategy for the Development of the City of Sarajevo 2021-2027 for public discussion for a period of 60 days. Remarks, proposals, opinions, and suggestions made during the discussions at the City Council session will be treated as contributions to the public discussion.

The Draft Decision on the Adoption of the Action Plan for Gender Equality of the City of Sarajevo was also considered and, by adopting a conclusion, sent for public discussion for a period of 30 days.

Information on the implementation of the Action Plan for Youth of the City of Sarajevo, Information from the Information Center on the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia Sarajevo in 2021, and Information on the economic cooperation of the City of Sarajevo with twinned and partner cities were acknowledged.

At today's session, at the proposal of the Mayor, a Decision on granting consent for the reallocation of funds in the Budget of the City of Sarajevo was adopted under an urgent procedure. As is known, due to the present and worsening epidemiological situation in the city of Sarajevo and beyond, it was decided that the City of Sarajevo would not organize a public New Year's Eve celebration this year. This Decision grants the mayor of the City of Sarajevo consent to redirect the funds intended for the public New Year's Eve celebration to the Association "Heart for Children with Cancer" as assistance and support from the City of Sarajevo to children with cancer and the Association "Heart for Children with Cancer." Funds in the amount of 50,000.00 KM will be redirected as direct financial assistance to sick children, in the amount of 2,000.00 KM per sick child, according to the proposal submitted to the City of Sarajevo by the Association "Heart for Children with Cancer."

Mayor Karić emphasized that in this way, the City of Sarajevo sends a message to these children that they are not alone and that it supports their fight, which it plans to continue doing in the future.

Finally, certain councilor questions were raised and initiatives were launched. Thus, among others, at the proposal of city councilor Enisa Spahić, an initiative was unanimously adopted for the City of Sarajevo to consider the possibility of standardizing the conditions for awarding funds to citizens of Sarajevo suffering from celiac disease (approved amount, application conditions, and methods of proof), in cooperation with the competent authorities in Sarajevo Canton, regardless of which municipality they are registered in.

At the end of the session, the President of the City Council wished the city councilors and citizens a happy and successful New Year 2022.