Komšić: Gratz is the right choice for Centar, Sarajevo needs to be tidied up

(Patria) - A pre-election gathering of the Democratic Front (DF) was held tonight at the National Museum in Sarajevo, attended by BiH Presidency member Željko Komšić, as well as DF candidates, members and supporters, and guests.

The attendees were addressed by DF candidate for Mayor of Centar, Dennis Gratz, who said that the venue of the rally carried strong symbolism.

He pointed out that the "National Museum is a state museum and a symbol of BiH's identity", but also "a symbol of the neglect and crisis of our institutions".

- This place looks like a perfect illustration of our country and this city. Sarajevo is a serious European city, but it doesn't look like that right now - he stated.



Gratz said that "in a spiritual sense, Sarajevo is a great European metropolis", but, as he added, "in a material, infrastructural sense, it has not been a metropolis for a long time".

- We lag behind most European and even regional cities. There is much more money in Sarajevo today than during the Olympics. But the situation is such that we don't even think we are capable of organizing something similar today.

Systemically, our hope and faith in ourselves have been killed. Sarajevo is a city whose self-confidence has been shaken due to the neglect of the authorities. Our fight is a fight to restore that self-confidence - said Gratz.

He added that "as time goes by, Sarajevo will have more and more money, but that doesn't mean the city will become a better place to live".

- This is perhaps best seen in the example of the Municipality of Centar, which has a larger budget than any other municipality in the country - 75 million marks.

It sounds truly impressive. However, what does it mean to us if half of that budget is not spent due to an inefficient government? In the year before last and last year, about 40% of the budget was realized in capital expenditures - Gratz points out.



He adds that Centar, due to the low level of budget execution, does not spend 75 million annually, but rather "30 million or slightly more, which is the budget of Kakanj or Teslić".

- We must start taking care of this city as we take care of our children. The better we are towards Sarajevo, the better it will be towards us. We are Sarajevo. Whatever we are like, so will the city be - Gratz says.

At the end of his address, he said that everyone remembers the founders of the city, then the people who built the National Museum, or the generation that organized the Olympics.

- But we must ask ourselves, what will future generations remember us for. When they talk about this time, what will they talk about? This city, this canton, needs a vision.

We need to regain the feeling that we can build great things again and organize great events - Gratz emphasized.

BiH Presidency member Željko Komšić stated that citizens are reacting positively to DF candidates at the stands.

- I wish all our candidates, and Dennis in particular, a lot of success on October 6th. What I can see so far - it looks good.

I think Dennis is also doing very well as a candidate for Mayor of Centar Municipality, in terms of how people are accepting him.

Also, it seems to me that our female and male candidates are doing just as well. That is truly good and pleasant news - said Komšić.

He emphasized that the goal is to "change the atmosphere in Sarajevo" and that from the "atmosphere of insults, spitting, which has been in effect for two years in Sarajevo, we need to create an atmosphere of work above all".

- Everything must be done to make this city cleaner, more organized, with less chaos, less injustice, fewer problems in a year or two - he said.

He added that DF candidates must work on building a more constructive atmosphere, which "may sound naive, but it is better to be naive with good intentions than malicious and corrupt with bad intentions".

- Our people will have that kind of task. And Dennis, when he wins, and all our councilors. Do something good for your municipalities. Do something good for this city.



Let us not be ashamed of the garbage that reigns in our streets. That garbage must be removed, this city must be tidied up - Komšić states.

He said that the government has a responsibility towards young people, to whom an alternative must be offered.

- We can open municipal and city resources so that children can engage in something else, so they don't turn to vices, and especially to somehow curb this violence that has been prevalent in Sarajevo in recent years - said Komšić.

He believes that Dennis Gratz is the right person to build a better atmosphere.

- Dennis gives me hope that this job can be done differently, more honestly, more nobly. He gives me hope that someone in charge of the government does not have to be arrogant and haughty towards ordinary people, from whom they seek support every 2 or 4 years - concluded Komšić.