STRAINED RELATIONS, GROWING APPETITES Can the "Trojka" maintain the concept of joint mayoral candidates in Sarajevo?

By: Amra Vrabac @amravrabac

It is no secret that the "Trojka" parties (NIP, SDP, Our Party) have failed to maintain unity in certain municipalities in Sarajevo. Some minor friction could have been hidden, but the issues in the municipalities of Novo Sarajevo and Centar have not been so easily concealed.

It is an election year, and the "Trojka" parties, which have taken power at both the FBiH and state levels, are now less focused on the Sarajevo Canton. Yet, it was precisely there that their joint story began. Since the 2020 local elections, when they decided on joint candidates, especially in the Sarajevo Canton municipalities, the time has come to either continue the story of this concept or for each party to go its own way.

According to a still informal agreement, the "Trojka" has a certain consensus regarding several names for municipal mayors. The most secure is Nermin Muzur (NIP), around whom there is already strong support from the "Trojka" for him to run again for mayor of Ilidža Municipality. Other parties have not yet come forward with possible candidates, but this is certainly expected from SDA.

A few days ago, the NIP organizations in Centar and Novo Sarajevo held a gathering where support was given to Samir Avdić to run for mayor of Novo Sarajevo. Avdić is the former Minister of Culture and Sports of the Sarajevo Canton and has been the Deputy Mayor of Sarajevo since the end of July 2023.
The current mayor of Novo Sarajevo, Hasan Tanović, according to Patria's information, does not have the support of the SDP's bodies for a second term, although he has publicly expressed his desire for a new term. Tanović won his first term as a joint candidate of the "Četvorka" (SDP, NIP, NS, NBL) and later became a member of the SDP.

The biggest battle in the local elections could take place precisely in this municipality. In addition to the "Trojka", SDA, the Party for BiH, and Šemsudin Mehmedović's Naprijed party should also have candidates. Former mayor and once SDA member Nedžad Koldžo has joined Mehmedović, so it is possible he will decide to run.

Regarding the Centar municipality, the "Trojka's" relations have been strained for a long time, escalating last summer when NIP councilors, who form the largest club, along with several other councilors, initiated the recall of Mayor Srđan Mandić (Our Party). Although the referendum was postponed twice, it never happened because the legal deadlines for procuring ballots were not met, and Mandić remained mayor. Although he had the support of Our Party and SDP councilors in that process, the Centar Municipal Organization of NIP does not want to hear about Mandić being a "Trojka" candidate again. However, Mandić could still be a candidate, but not representing Our Party, while the "Trojka" would have a different candidate. This time, NIP or SDP would have priority in proposals. It is known that the president of Our Party, Edin Forto, supported Mandić when NIP initiated the recall, leaving a comment on social media: "With friends like these, you don't need enemies." However, Mandić then publicly criticized Forto for the dismissal of Lejla Brčić from the Management Board of KCUS, and their relations have been strained ever since. Mandić has the support of the Centar Municipal Board for a potential candidacy, but the question is what the final agreement of the "Trojka" will be.

Within the "Trojka", an agreement has been reached on a maximum of two candidates per party, so NIP would fulfill its quota in Ilidža and Novo Sarajevo. SDP already has a mayor in Stari Grad, Irfan Čengić, who announced after the early elections that he would run again, so they would have priority in proposing a candidate in Centar. Čengić was supported by the "Trojka" parties, as well as DF, and some independent councilors. SDA nominated Dženan Selimbegović at the time, who was recently elected president of the Stari Grad SDA. However, there is still no official confirmation of whom they have decided to nominate in the October elections.

Regarding the Novi Grad municipality, the current mayor Semir Efendić, who is also the president of the Party for BiH, should run again. In the last elections, NIP ran with a "non-partisan candidate" Adnan Delić, who lost to Efendić by about 1000 votes. However, it turned out that Delić was not a non-partisan candidate, and NIP first appointed him as the Minister of Economy in the Sarajevo Canton and then as the Minister of Labor and Social Policy in the FBiH Government. SDA has also not come forward with its proposal for mayor, and there is an option that they will support Efendić along with some other parties.

In Vogošća, Migdad Hasanović (SDA) won convincingly in the early elections in February 2023, and the "Trojka" nominated Adnan Šerak at the time. Hasanović will also be a candidate in the regular local elections.

Last time in Ilijaš, the "Trojka" fought a real battle, vote by vote, and the current mayor Akif Fazlić (SDA) defeated Amar Dovadžija by 46 votes.

In Trnovo, the current mayor is Ibro Berilo (SDA).

The "Trojka" faces a turbulent period ahead, and the position of the Mayor of Sarajevo will depend on the results of the local elections. It can already be heard that Benjamina Karić does not have support for another term, although she enjoys some support within SDP structures. However, after the local elections, Nermin Nikšić's mandate also ends, which was extended at the Congress beyond the Statute. An electoral Congress should be held in May 2025.