SDP BiH Candidates: Current Mayors and City Mayor in the Race for a New Term

In the upcoming Local Elections in five municipalities across BiH and the City of Tuzla, the Social Democratic Party has nominated current mayors and the city mayor, who have done a lot for their citizens during their term, and they hope for a new term to continue their successful work. Here is a brief overview of the biographies of the current mayors of the municipalities of Doboj-Jug, Gračanica, the mayor of Tuzla, Gradačac, Ključ, and Bosanska Krupa, writes Patria agency.

Jasminka Begić - Mayor of Doboj-Jug Municipality

Jasminka Begić was born on June 20, 1965, in Doboj. Before taking office as the mayor of Doboj Jug Municipality, she worked as an educator at the "21. mart" Elementary School in Matuzići. She is a professor of mathematics and physics by profession. She is the mother of two children, daughter Ajla and son Haris.

Jasminka has been politically active for many years and has held a number of entrusted positions within the Social Democratic Party of BiH. She also expresses her activism in the non-governmental sector, where, along with other activists in the Women's Association "Žena 21. vijeka" (Woman of the 21st Century), she participates in shaping the social life and civil society of the municipality.

Her motivation to run for mayor was the desire for change, a desire for a more beautiful and better future. In the 2012 local elections, she achieved a convincing victory against four other candidates for the mayor of Doboj-Jug Municipality.

Nusret Helić - Mayor of Gračanica Municipality

Born on April 11, 1952, in Gračanica. He is a lawyer by profession. He began his career in the Municipality of Gračanica, first as an intern, and later as the secretary of the Socio-Political Council. He headed the Municipal Service for Urban Planning, Construction, Housing-Communal and Property-Legal Affairs for two terms, and the head of the administrative body for one term. He was a member of the Municipal Executive Board for two terms.

In the earlier period, he was an activist in youth organizations, the professional president of the Municipal Youth Organization from 1978-1980, and a member of the Presidency of the Youth Union of BiH and the Youth Travel Association of BiH.

He has received numerous awards for his successful work and leadership of the Municipality, among which are particularly significant: the Golden Plaque of the Municipality in 2003, special awards for being selected as the best manager in BiH and Southeast Europe for the years 2003, 2004, 2005, and 2006, the plaque of the European Movement BiH - European Mayor in 2007, and the plaque of the international fair of municipalities, cities, and regions "Globallocal" Tuzla in 2007 for the most successful mayor. He was also appointed honorary president of the European Movement in BiH in 2007, the Golden Plaque "Leader of Local Self-Government of the Decade" from the International League of Humanists in 2012, the first award of its kind given to a municipal mayor. A special award in the "Manager of the Year" selection campaign "Best Mayor 2008", the European Movement Plaque "Best Mayor - Manager of BiH Decade 2004-2014", and recognition for Partner in the EU Integration Process for 2015.

As a craftsman and caterer, he was elected a member of the Management Board of the Crafts Chamber of Tuzla and the president of the Chamber's assembly. He has been a long-time footballer, athlete, and active sports worker, and has received numerous awards, the latest being recognition for the development of sports at the level of Gračanica Municipality in 2015.

Jasmin Imamović - Mayor of Tuzla

Jasmin Imamović was born on October 8, 1957, in Brčko, and soon moved to Tuzla, where he completed elementary and high school. He graduated from the Faculty of Law in Sarajevo in 1980, and a few years later, he passed the Bar exam in Sarajevo. In the City of Tuzla (formerly Municipality of Tuzla), he worked as an official for property-legal affairs in the Administration for Property-Legal Affairs, as the president of the Commission for establishing a unified registry of real estate and rights, in the Geodetic Administration, and as an assistant to the Inter-municipal Public Attorney, which dealt with representation before courts and administrative bodies in Tuzla and twenty municipalities in northeastern Bosnia.

In addition to his work in legal practice, he published works and books in the field of law in professional and scientific journals such as "Pravna misao" (Legal Thought), "ZIPS", and "Geodetski glasnik" (Geodetic Herald) in Sarajevo, and "Pravni život" (Legal Life) in Belgrade. By 1992, he had also published three books related to the determination and registration of real rights to real estate, co-authored with Begić (two books) and Begić and Lukić (one book).

From 1991 to 2001, he served as the secretary of the Municipality of Tuzla, where he was dedicated to the equal protection of the rights of all citizens, regardless of their national, religious, or any other affiliation. In the midst of war, he spoke and wrote about coexistence, brotherhood, and unity. "Anti-nationalism is the highest level of BiH patriotism" - he often said, for which he suffered abuse from nationalist media.

After the war, Imamović was awarded the highest city recognition, the Plaque with the Golden Coat of Arms, precisely for his merits in resisting aggression and ensuring equal protection of the rights of all citizens of Tuzla. Since 1995, he has also been active in politics, becoming the general secretary of the Union of Bosnian-Herzegovinian Social Democrats.

Jasmin Imamović was elected mayor of Tuzla Municipality in February 2001, and then, with convincing victories in direct elections, in October 2004, 2008, and 2012. Since October 2014, Tuzla has been declared a City, and Imamović its mayor.

During his terms, in the first 16 years of the 21st century, Tuzla experienced its most significant revival and development to date. The City of Tuzla is now recognizable and unique in BiH. In May 2012, the new Tuzla Municipality Development Strategy until 2026 was adopted. Tuzla's development strategy is based on the Aalborg Convention and on smart, sustainable, and inclusive development.

Once an industrial and grey city, it has become one of the most attractive tourist destinations in BiH. A city where, in 2001, trade was not developed, has become one of the largest commercial centers in the country.

Imamović, together with his associates, found almost ruined, and even privatized, public utility companies. Through legal means, he succeeded in annulling the privatization of public companies: Vodovod i kanalizacija (Water Supply and Sewerage), Komunalac (Public Utility Services), Centralno grijanje (Central Heating), Komemorativni centar (Memorial Center), and Tržnice i pijace (Markets and Fairs), thereby returning the property to the citizens of Tuzla, economically stabilizing the companies, and turning their failure into success. In a short time, he also established new, successful companies and public institutions in Tuzla, such as BIT Centar, Panonika, Saobraćaj i komunikacije (Transport and Communications), RTV 7, Stadion (Stadium), and Dom mladih (Youth Center).

For his successful leadership of the city, Imamović has received numerous recognitions and awards. Tuzla is a four-time winner of the BEACON Status award (for rapid economic development, for tourism development, for best results in preparing and managing EU projects, and for energy efficiency). He was awarded by the Association of Multiethnic Cities of Southeast Europe for his special contribution to spreading multiculturalism in Southeast Europe, and by various media in BiH, Imamović has been repeatedly chosen as Personality of the Year in BiH.

He is married and the father of two daughters.

Edis Dervišagić - Mayor of Gradačac Municipality

Edis Dervišagić was born on April 22, 1973, in Gradačac. He completed elementary school in Donji Srnici in 1988. From 1988 to 1992, he attended and graduated from the Electrical Engineering High School in Tuzla, specializing in computer technology and automation technician. Upon the outbreak of the aggression against Bosnia and Herzegovina, in June 1992, he voluntarily joined the Territorial Defense units of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Gradačac municipality area. For his participation in the ARBiH units, he was awarded a written commendation from the command of Operational Group 1 - Bosanska Posavina.

From 1994 to 1999, he attended and successfully completed undergraduate studies at the Faculty of Philosophy in Tuzla, majoring in History-Geography. He defended his thesis "Dubrovnik-Bosnian Relations in the First Half of the 15th Century," under the mentorship of Prof. Dr. Enver Imamović, on February 15, 1999.

From 1999 to 2011, he worked as a history-geography teacher at JU O.Š. "Ivan Goran Kovačić" in Gradačac and obtained the professional title of professor advisor. He pursued postgraduate studies in the history of Bosnia and Herzegovina at the Faculty of Philosophy in Tuzla. He successfully passed all planned courses with an average grade of 9.57, thus meeting the requirements for submitting a thesis and completing his master's degree.

He is the author of several history textbooks for elementary school and high school students, as well as several manuals for teachers, and has participated in numerous international professional seminars. As an expert of the Council of Europe for didactic-methodological approaches to studying history in teaching, he held a series of lectures and workshops within the modular Seminar for pedagogical advisors and teachers/professors in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Under the auspices of the Council of Europe and the OSCE Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina, as a result of his work within the aforementioned project, the Manual for History Teachers in Bosnia and Herzegovina was published in 2008, which included his work titled "Developing students' skills and competencies in historical thinking through the content of history textbooks in Bosnia and Herzegovina" (Developing skills and competencies in BiH).

As a member of a multinational team of pedagogical advisors and history professors from Bosnia and Herzegovina, he participated several times in professional consultations organized at the "Georg Eckert" Institute for Textbook Research in Braunschweig, Germany. During the 2008-2012 mandate period, he was a member of the Municipal Council, and from 2011-2012, he served as the President of the Municipal Council of Gradačac. He is a member of the Main Board of the Social Democratic Party of Bosnia and Herzegovina. He lives and works in Gradačac. He is married and has one child.

Nedžad Zukanović - Mayor of Ključ Municipality

Born in 1972. He completed elementary school in MZ Hripavci - Krasulje, and high school at the Music School in Bihać. He graduated from the Pedagogical Music Faculty in Mostar. In 1995, he started working at the Ključ Elementary School as a music education teacher. He is an active member of MZ Krasulje, where he made a significant contribution to infrastructure development. He began his political career in the Party for BiH and served as a councilor in the Ključ Municipal Council.

Since 2009, he has been a member of the OO SDP Ključ (Municipal Board of SDP Ključ), where he held the position of president of OO SDP Ključ. In the 2010 general elections, he gained the trust and sufficient votes to become a representative in the Assembly of the Una-Sana Canton.

He is a member of a large number of societies and organizations, including IZ - Medžlis Ključ, KUD Stari grad - Ključ, Hunting Association "Srna Grmeč" Ključ, and many others.

In the 2012 local elections, he received strong support from his fellow citizens and became the mayor of this municipality. Throughout his first term, he treated all citizens equally, regardless of who they were or where they came from. He managed to implement many projects for the municipality of Ključ, and new ones are planned, so that this area continues to be recognized as a place of good and hardworking people.

Armin Halitović - Mayor of Bosanska Krupa Municipality

Armin Halitović was born in 1970. He completed elementary and high school in Bosanska Krupa. After high school, he enrolled in the Faculty of Economics at the University of Sarajevo. At the beginning of the aggression against BiH, he interrupted his studies and made himself available to the Patriotic League of BiH, later the Territorial Defense of BiH, and the Army of BiH. He spent the entire war as a member of the 511th Glorious Brigade. After the end of the war, he continued his studies and graduated from the Faculty of Economics in Sarajevo in 1999, earning the title of graduate economist.

He gained his previous work experience and tenure at HAF engineering d.o.o. Bosanska Krupa (1999-2000), Camelija banka Bihać, Head of Funds and Loans Department (2000-2002), ABS banka d.d. Sarajevo – Bihać Branch, Back-office Manager (2002-2003), KIB banka d.d. Velika Kladuša – Bosanska Krupa Branch, Director (2003-2008). Since 2008, he has held the position of mayor of Bosanska Krupa Municipality.