Karić is no longer the mayor of Sarajevo: Avdić or Margetić, with or without Naša stranka's backing, will replace her

(Patria) - Tomorrow's session of the Sarajevo City Council could be a new stumbling block between the 'Trojka' parties regarding the election of the acting mayor of Sarajevo.

The official proposal from the Administrative Commission, headed by Jasmin Ademović, who is also the President of the City Council, has proposed the current Deputy Mayor Samir Avdić (NIP) for this position.

Benjamina Karić has been in a legal vacuum for several days, considering that if she signs the statement accepting the mandate of the Mayor of Novi Grad today, after being awarded the certificate of mandate, it will mean her term has been running since November 5th, when the confirmed results were announced.

However, such a proposal from the Administrative Commission has met with opposition from Naša stranka, whose Anja Margetić is the second deputy mayor. Naša stranka stated in its reaction that Avdić can only be the acting mayor if Ademović withdraws from his position as President of the Sarajevo City Council.

"We support the election of Samir Avdić as mayor. However, it is known that the mayor and the president of the City Council cannot be from the same ethnic group. Therefore, we call on the President of the City Council to step down from his position, which he can certainly hold for a short time longer, so that we can elect Avdić as mayor," stated Naša stranka, adding that otherwise, they propose Anja Margetić.

Ademović himself reacted to this request from Naša stranka, emphasizing that at the Collegium session, the proposal to entrust the acting mayor position to Deputy Mayor Samir Avdić was presented and accepted as such, and the City Council will decide on it at the next session.

"I emphasize that the Club of Councilors of Naša stranka in the City Council did not at all present the proposal to entrust this duty to Deputy Mayor Anja Margetić Stakić, and therefore, Deputy Avdić remained as the sole proposal.

In order to resolve this issue, I have proposed a meeting for Monday to the presidents of the 'Trojka' parties, as well as the presidents of the 'Trojka' clubs from the City Council, so that we can adopt a common stance. Whatever decision is agreed upon at the meeting, I will respect it. If the decision is that Mr. Avdić be proposed as acting mayor, given that he also comes from the Bosniak ethnic group, I am prepared to resign. The functionality and stability of the City institution, the legality and constitutionality of the procedure, and the interest of the citizens must come first, and in my case, this has never been and will not be called into question," said Ademović.

Anja Margetić later announced, informing her colleagues in the City Council that she had not given her consent to the material for the 45th session of the City Council.

In her statement, Margetić stated that the proposed Decision on the acting mayor of Sarajevo is not in accordance with the Statute of the City of Sarajevo.

"In this regard, and in consultation with the highest authorities in the field of constitutional law, and our constitution and highest act is the Statute of the City of Sarajevo, I call for the application of Article 33, Paragraph 9 of the Statute, which clearly indicates that two functions, mayor and president of the City Council, cannot be held by public officials of the same ethnic affiliation, with which facts the proposed Decision does not correspond," stated Margetić.

In addition, Margetić added the stance of the High Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Christian Schmidt.

"Ahead of the upcoming indirect elections for city authorities related to the implementation of the 2024 Local Elections, I hereby wish to call on the Sarajevo City Council to take all necessary steps and measures, in accordance with the City Statute and other relevant regulations and legislation, to ensure the uninterrupted operation of city authorities until the formation of a new City Council and until the election of a new mayor by the Council," reads the letter from the OHR, attached by the Deputy Mayor of Sarajevo.

Considering the fact that a woman was in this position, and that there is also a deputy mayor who is of a different nationality than President Ademović, then the conclusion arises that Margetić should be elected as the acting mayor.

Samir Avdić has been mentioned as the 'Trojka' candidate for the mayor of Sarajevo, and that process itself should be completed in the first quarter of 2025 after the City Council is formed and candidates are determined.