Schmidt calls the "Mevlana" Intercultural Center controversial and an obstacle to Croatian politics in UN Security Council report

(Patria) - The High Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Christian Schmidt, in his 66th report to the United Nations Security Council, has once again included the issue of the construction of the "Mevlana" intercultural center, as expected, given its significance for the civic, multi-ethnic Mostar, a city of all its citizens, members of various religions, cultures, and nations.

As announced by the Mufti's Office of Mostar, unlike the previous report, the High Representative did so in a much shorter form this time and with a seemingly different approach.

The report stated the following:

- The ongoing controversy surrounding the construction of the Mevlana Intercultural Center at the disputed location in Mostar continues. The Mevlana Intercultural Center in Mostar is perceived by the Croatian political group, including the Croatian Democratic Union of Bosnia and Herzegovina (HDZ BiH), as a strategic move to affirm Bosniak presence in the predominantly Croatian western part of the city.

The Mufti's Office points out that this time, the legal and legitimate request of the Islamic Community on the Lakišića endowment in Mostar is labeled as a 'controversy', and the location is called 'disputed', and only the stance of Croatian politics, which is bothered by the presence of Bosniaks in the so-called western part of Mostar, is mentioned. In contrast, the previous, 65th report clearly mentioned and supported the pro-Bosnian parties' support for the 'Mevlana' Intercultural Center.

The High Representative's report further states that he "remains engaged in promoting intercultural dialogue in Mostar and in Bosnia and Herzegovina as a whole".

- We wish to once again emphasize and highlight to the wider public that the Mufti's Office of Mostar, along with all international friends whose support we have received, will work diligently towards the earliest possible realization of this project and will under no circumstances allow further discrimination and belittling of the Islamic Community and Bosniak Muslims by the 'predominantly' Croatian authorities in the City of Mostar - the Mufti's Office stated.

It is added that international friends are aware of the past appropriation of the Lakišića endowment and the discrimination against the Islamic Community, and the book "The Lakišića Harem in the Center of Mostar: History of a Seized Cemetery" is available to them.

- We expect that officials of the international community will be fully consistent with the policy of integration, especially in the Central Zone of Mostar, which was Hans Koschnick's plan, and that there will be no backing down from unrealistic and insatiable demands for domination, which aim to achieve a de facto division of the city into a Croatian and non-Croatian part - the statement said.