Nikšić, Komšić and Bajrović with Inzko: Elections in Mostar and Stolac must be held

Resolving the issue of elections in Mostar was the main topic of today's meeting of the leaders of the SDP, DF and the Civic Alliance with High Representative Valentin Inzko, held at the OHR. The meeting was held at the initiative of Nermin Nikšić, Željko Komšić and Reuf Bajrović, Patria reports.

After the talks, Nermin Nikšić said they wanted to hear the OHR's views on Mostar. In his opinion, the current authorities would most like to see no elections held in the city on the Neretva until 2018.

The SDP president emphasized that Mostar and Stolac are two different problems, but that holding elections in the other Herzegovinian city is also being obstructed, and he sees no reason why the Central Election Commission is blocking this.

-We received assurances that the OHR is monitoring the situation. They believe the solution lies with the domestic authorities, but if we wait for the domestic authorities, especially the current ones, I fear that not only will we not have any more elections in Mostar, but elections in BiH in general are in question, Nikšić said.

Željko Komšić said they agree that there must be some domestic initiative to restart the discussion about Mostar. The DF leader reiterated his previous stance, namely that both the SDA and HDZ BiH benefit from what is happening in Mostar, and that Mostar is essentially a bargaining chip in the relations between these two parties for resolving other issues.

-Čović is offering Izetbegović a division of Mostar, which Izetbegović wants, but he is demanding a special electoral unit. The left does not want to participate in that. The left wants a normal solution for Mostar, which is why we decided to launch this initiative, for which we will seek support from all sides, so that elections in Mostar can be held. It is important to get things moving, and we need the help of the international community, Komšić said.

Reuf Bajrović, president of the Civic Alliance, believes that the solutions for both cities are simple.

-Elections in accordance with the valid laws of BiH and elections immediately, there is no need to wait for 2018 or anything else, Bajrović emphasized.