Memić: Due to the Sarajevo Canton, the Ilidža Municipality will seek the demolition of at least 2,000 buildings

SARAJEVO, (Patria) - The Mayor of Ilidža, Professor Dr. Senaid Memić, told the Patria news agency that he will seek the demolition of at least 2,000 buildings in the municipality, after failing to reach an agreement with cantonal authorities on how to legalize illegally constructed buildings.

Memić said that for about 1,800 property owners in the Ilidža area, the temporary two-year permit for connection to the electricity grid has expired, but that cantonal authorities refuse to find a permanent solution for these buildings, thereby jeopardizing their further fate.

"We will demand that all these buildings be disconnected from electricity, that their water connection be terminated, and ultimately that these buildings be demolished," said Professor Memić, adding that for some time now, together with other municipal bodies, he has been trying to legalize illegally constructed buildings, collect rent from the owners of these buildings, which was also paid by owners of legally constructed buildings, but that this process is being blocked by the Sarajevo Canton.

Memić said that all along, authorities from higher instances than Ilidža have been demanding that he adhere strictly to existing laws, which are rigid and do not allow for compromise, hindering development processes in Ilidža.

"No problem, if they do not want to adapt the law to the needs of the local community, if they do not want to legalize all these people, adapt the sewage system, wastewater and other infrastructure for them, then we have no choice but to demolish all these buildings, and then let the politicians sitting in the Assembly of the Sarajevo Canton explain to the citizens how this came about," said Memić. He accuses the leaders of the Canton of treating the Ilidža municipality, one of the most developed municipalities in the Federation, as if Ilidža were a ghetto.

"We are not allowed to live freely, we are not allowed to manage our own municipality," said Memić.

The Mayor of Ilidža points out that "half of the municipality" of Ilidža has been declared a water protection zone of the first, second, third and fourth degree, which, according to the understanding of the cantonal authorities, means an absolute ban on living in these zones.

"That is impossible to comply with," said Memić.

He criticizes that the Canton has been exploiting this local community for more than 20 years after the Dayton Peace Agreement and the establishment of cantons in the Federation, but that the Canton does not help the development of this municipality in return, which is why he is raising his voice on behalf of all citizens.

He cited the example that the Ilidža Municipality agreed for the Canton to establish a special company to manage the Vrelo Bosne spring, a great asset of Ilidža. The only condition, that persons from the Ilidža area be employed in that company, was not respected by the Canton.
"The Sarajevo Canton treats Ilidža in a way that Warsaw had the status of during World War II," says Professor Memić.

'IRREGULARITIES IN THE PURCHASE OF LAND'

As an additional problem in Ilidža, the head of that local community points out that the Sarajevo Canton has been promising owners of agricultural plots in water protection zones in Ilidža the purchase of private land for years, but notes that to date only one plot of about four dunams has been purchased, while the purchase of another, smaller plot is in preparation. The Mayor, moreover, does not hide his suspicion that there are elements of a criminal offense in the purchase of these two plots, because, as he said, the Canton "allocated enormously high prices" for these two plots, i.e., much higher prices than the market value.

"The Canton approaches the purchase of land in the water protection zone in Ilidža partially, with different yardsticks towards citizens," says Professor Memić.