Introducing: Eight Democratic Front Candidates for Mayor in Sarajevo Canton

In the upcoming local elections to be held on October 2, 2016, the Democratic Front in Sarajevo Canton has seven of its own candidates and one independent whom it has supported. The Patria News Agency presents a brief overview of the biographies of these eight candidates.

Enes Durak – Ilijaš Municipality
(Enes Durak is an independent candidate for mayor of Ilijaš Municipality. In the upcoming elections, he has received the support of DF, SDP, and BPS).

Born in 1964 in the village of Brgule, Vareš Municipality. Grew up in Podlipnik, Ilijaš Municipality. Before the war, he was employed by the police until July 1, 1993. He is the first recipient of the Police Medal for Bravery and one of the 12 living recipients of this wartime award, and the unit he commanded received the highest wartime award for units, the MUP flag. During the aggression against BiH, he was appointed commander of the 126th Brigade Ilijaš, a position he held until the end of September 1994, after which he joined the Command of the 1st Corps of the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina based in Sarajevo.

He continued his career in the MUP of RBiH, and then moved to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of RBiH.

Today, he is in private business and owns a transport company. He was actively involved in sports for many years, and was the champion of BiH in judo.

Vesna Domuz – Hadžići Municipality

Born in 1965 in Sarajevo, where she grew up and finished Catering and Tourism School. In 1982, she married police officer Čedomir Domuz, with whom she had two children. At the beginning of April 1992, they both joined the resistance organization in Hadžići.

After her husband was killed in July 1992, Vesna was employed by the MUP, Department for Civil Affairs, as a clerk for personal documents.

Immediately after the war ended, in 1996, she became involved in political life and served as a councilor in the Municipal Council of Hadžići Municipality from 2000 to 2004. She put her active political engagement aside and, upon founding the Democratic Front, initiated and organized the formation of the DF Municipal Board in Hadžići. As acting president of the municipal board, she participated in all activities until the first party elections, and then worked on promoting and spreading the political ideas of the Democratic Front.

Throughout her working life, she gained a realistic insight into the socio-economic status of the citizens of Hadžići Municipality. She utilized and expanded her knowledge and skills in voluntary, socially beneficial work in her community, providing legal advice and assistance in resolving various socio-economic issues for vulnerable population groups, and through activities in NGOs and citizens' associations, particularly those focused on the veteran population. She participated in the founding of the Association of Recipients of the Highest Wartime Awards of Hadžići Municipality, the Association of Martyr and Fallen Soldier Families of Sarajevo Canton and Hadžići Municipality, and currently voluntarily serves as the vice-president of the assembly of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Association of Recipients of the Highest Wartime Awards. She speaks English and German.

Edin Tursunović – Ilidža Municipality

Born in 1980 in Tuzla. He finished elementary school in Srebrenik and high school in Tuzla. After finishing high school, he enrolled in the Faculty of Criminal Justice in Sarajevo, where he graduated in 2006.

He was involved in humanitarian work and participated in socially beneficial actions. He decided to engage in politics due to the state of society in which young people and their rights are neglected, primarily the right to employment.

Since the very founding of the Democratic Front in 2013, he has been an active member and participant in various implementation projects.

If elected mayor of Ilidža Municipality, he wants to initiate major projects that will be of general interest to all citizens of Ilidža Municipality with his ideas.

Goran Kovačević – Novi Grad Municipality

Born in 1982 in Sarajevo. Graduated from the Faculty of Criminal Justice in 2006. He obtained his Master's degree from the Faculty of Law at the University of Sarajevo in 2009. He earned his doctorate from the Department of Security Studies at the University of Sarajevo in 2013. He has been employed at the Faculty of Criminal Justice, Criminology, and Security Studies since 2007 and is currently an international expert in the field of security and international relations.

He is one of the most influential experts in the field of security and international relations in Southeast Europe, the author of several scientific papers in this field, and a respected political analyst.

He is married and has one child.

Sanela Salimović – Vogošća Municipality

Born in Zvornik in 1988. Lived in Bratunac until 1992, until the outbreak of the war. After the occupation of her hometown, she fled with her family to Slovenia, where she lived until 2000.

After that, she moved with her family to Italy. In Bergamo, she completed Secondary Economic School. She then completed the Faculty of Economics in Bergamo in November 2010, earning the title of graduate economist.

In January 2010, she was employed at the bank "Gruppo ING DIRECT", headquartered in Milan, where she worked as a counter bank clerk. A year later, she began working as an accountant at the company Logoptimo in Bergamo (Italy).

After 14 years, she decided to return to Bosnia and Herzegovina. Last year, she started working at DDC MLS doo as an administrative worker processing data.

Since February 2016, she has been actively involved in politics and is a candidate for mayor of Vogošća Municipality for the Democratic Front.

She is the president of the Commission for Economy and part of the Commission for Youth.

Samer Rešidat – Centar Municipality

Born in 1971 in Sarajevo. After finishing high school (Second Gymnasium) in Sarajevo, he enrolled in the Faculty of Economics in Sarajevo in 1991, which he left due to the war. He then enrolled in the Department of Arabic Language at Al Albayt University in Jordan. Due to business opportunities, he also enrolled in the Faculty of Management and Business Economics – Management in Tourism and Hospitality, graduating in 2008.

He is the vice-president of the Democratic Front and served as the Minister of Culture and Sport in the Government of Sarajevo Canton.

Today, he is the successful director and co-owner of the company "SOLAZUR travel d.o.o.", president of RK "Bosna", and deputy president of the Association of Travel Agencies of BiH. He is married and has one child.

He is the recipient of numerous awards, including:

- Special Award for achievements in promoting Tunisia's tourism offer (2005) – Ministry of Tourism of Tunisia;
- Best Manager of Southeast and Central Europe (2005, 2006) – Directorate for Manager Selection;
- Award for leading the company "SOLAZUR travel d.o.o." (2012) – Superbrands BH.

Hasan Tanović – Novo Sarajevo Municipality

Born in 1970 in Sarajevo, where he completed primary and secondary school. He enrolled in the Faculty of Medicine in Sarajevo in 1990/1991 and attended until the beginning of the aggression against BiH. As a volunteer, he actively joined the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina and was seriously wounded in September 1992. He is a demobilized soldier with 60% disability.

He graduated from the Faculty of Medicine in April 2003 with a grade of 10, under the mentorship of Prof. Dr. Ismet Gavrankapetanović.

He was professionally engaged in the company Bosnalijek during 2003. The following year, he worked for the pharmaceutical company Abbott Laboratories s.a., representative office for BiH, with the title of Doctor of Medicine in the position of professional associate.

From December 2004, he voluntarily worked as a doctor of medicine at the Clinic for Orthopedics and Traumatology of the University Clinical Center Sarajevo (KCUS). In 2005, he worked as a resident doctor at the Clinic for Orthopedics and Traumatology. From February 2006, he spent four years specializing in orthopedics and traumatology at KCUS.

He passed his specialist exam in March 2010, after which he received the title of specialist in orthopedic surgery and has been employed full-time as a specialist orthopedic surgeon at the Clinic for Orthopedics and Traumatology of KCUS ever since.

He has been engaged as the doctor for all selections of the Basketball Association of BiH since June 2013.

He also completed postgraduate studies at the Faculty of Medicine.

He has participated in numerous congresses, professional meetings, lectures, and activities related to various topics in medical sciences, particularly in the field of orthopedics and traumatology.

Hamdo Karić - Trnovo Municipality

Born in 1960 in Kijevo (Trnovo Municipality). Graduated from the Faculty of Political Sciences in Sarajevo – Defense major, and earned the title of Defense Professor.

He currently works in the City Administration of Sarajevo, as the Assistant Mayor for Communal Affairs. Previously, he worked in Trnovo Municipality and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.