Muftijstvo calls on Kordić to explain why he ignores the existence of the Islamic Community and Muslims in Mostar

(Patria) - The Mostar Muftijstvo today called on the Mostar city authorities, led by Mayor Mario Kordić, to clarify to the public in our country on what legal grounds they are ignoring the existence of the Islamic Community and Muslims in Mostar.

The Muftijstvo raised these questions following a statement from the City of Mostar which contained a series of accusations against Muslims and the Islamic Community in Mostar, and stated that the request for the construction of the Intercultural Center "Mevlana" on the waqf property of Lakišića harem cannot be approved, as the necessary conditions are allegedly not met.

Among other things, the Muftijstvo also announced that it will seek protection of the sacred space - the Lakišića harem site and a review of all building permits in the Central Zone of the City of Mostar before the competent state and international institutions.

The Muftijstvo stated that Mayor Kordić, with his media advisors, has finally and clearly defined his position on the future of Mostar with yesterday's statement, in which, therefore, there are only Croats and Croatian cultural and other institutions, and no one else.
"Until now, he has at least declaratively advocated for a multi-ethnic and civic narrative, without substance, and with his latest statements, he has shown his true face. It is hypocritical that at meetings with the Mostar Muftijstvo and the City Administration, he promised to resolve the accumulated unresolved requests of the Islamic Community in Mostar, including the issue of the cultural center at Lakišića harem, which has been awaiting a solution for over two decades.

He promised that certain requests of the Islamic Community would be resolved before the collective annual leave of the city administration last year. Nothing has been done to date," they recalled in a public statement.

They called on the City of Mostar to clarify, if not officially, then at least through the media, on what laws the issue of Lakišića harem and the requests of the Islamic Community have not been resolved for more than 20 years, and on what legal norms the Islamic Community and the existence of Muslims in Mostar are being ignored.

"We gifted Mayor Kordić and his advisors the book 'Lakišića harem in the center of Mostar: duration and appropriation'. Unfortunately, they obviously have not read it to familiarize themselves with the historical site of Lakišića harem, just as they have not read the book 'Mostar Waqfs from 1931 to 2013'.

They should know that Mostar is a city of great history and tradition, which began long before they moved into it," the statement said.

They added that Mayor Kordić has once again groundlessly denied and refuted all historical, legal, and visually evident facts, claiming that Lakišića harem does not exist, which has only been partially exhumed, and never completely, as the Muftijstvo has repeatedly emphasized.
"Instead of misleading the public, we call on the City of Mostar to resolve the issue of the skeletal remains found at Lakišića harem on two occasions, February 25, 2021, during works on the city road, and January 5, 2017, during works on the collectors.

The bones from Lakišića harem were moved to the city morgue Sutina by order of the Sanitary Inspection, where they still await their fate," the Mostar Muftijstvo stated.

They also added that the mayor apparently has not yet understood whether the Regulatory Plan for the Central Zone of the City of Mostar exists.

"When he talks about the Croatian National Theatre, he remembers the non-existent regulatory plan from 1996, from the time of the state parastate of so-called 'Herceg-Bosna'.

On the other hand, the City Council recently, after more than a decade, again made a decision to proceed with the development of the Regulatory Plan for the Central Zone, which has not yet been developed, because in that case, a non-Croatian institution could find its place in it. Yesterday, in the controversial statement, or 'condemnation' as it is stated on the City of Mostar website, a new, never-before-seen Regulatory Plan with a city square emerged? It will be interesting to see in which year it will be retroactively positioned," they stated.

The Muftijstvo drew Mayor Kordić's attention to the fact that his predecessor Ljubo Bešlić, in document no: 02-48-67/06-2 dated March 23, 2006, sent to the Majlis of the Islamic Community Mostar, wrote the following: "As you know, to date, no spatial planning document has been adopted that would define construction issues in the central city zone."

"However, we want to remind Mayor Kordić that at the 11th regular session of the City Council of Mostar, held on September 28, 2021, a temporary expert commission was appointed, which, in the absence of planning documentation, provides expert opinions in accordance with Article 49 of the Law on Spatial Planning ('Official Gazette of Herzegovina-Neretva Canton', No. 4/04), as precisely explained to us by the Department for Urban Planning and Construction, by act 04-25-242/02 dated March 7, 2011.
We expect the commission to recognize the significance and importance of the Intercultural Center 'Mevlana' for the City of Mostar and its essential multi-ethnic spirit of togetherness, which has always characterized it and by which it is recognized in the world," stated the Mostar Muftijstvo.

They publicly asked what kind of malicious constructions could lead to the request for the construction of the Intercultural Center "Mevlana" being described as "provocations" and "inciting tensions"?

"Are not the attitude of the city administration over the last two decades towards the Islamic Community, as well as the mayor's statements and press releases attributed to the City of Mostar, provocations and an insult to common sense?

Even if it were not about waqf property, endowed by one of the famous Mostar benefactors Ahmed-aga Lakišić, in the spirit of European values, which they declaratively advocate for, the city authorities should respect the multi-ethnic structure of Mostar's population, and in no way create a mono-ethnic exclusive space in the very center of Mostar, while carrying out obvious discrimination, which we will be forced to prove before the highest domestic judicial and international bodies," the statement said.

They announced that the Muftijstvo is preparing an appeal to the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina and a lawsuit with the Court in Strasbourg, seeking protection of rights regarding the sacred space-Lakišića harem site, where there is a legal basis for it to be treated as such, regardless of the usurpations that followed, and that they have submitted a request to the Office of the High Representative (OHR) for an international expert commission to be formed to examine all permits in the Central Zone of the City of Mostar.

"We call for patience from our members and well-intentioned citizens of this city, and to not react impulsively to the provocative and malicious statements and qualifications coming from the mayor's office.

We will contribute to culture, coexistence, and understanding in Mostar with our example. We do not bother others. We will persistently expose malicious intentions and fight against injustice, tyranny, and intolerance," stated the Mostar Muftijstvo.