Sead Elezović protests in front of the City Hall: In Mostar, the authorities are stealing from the old and helpless

Mostar resident Sead Elezović has been protesting in front of the Mostar City Hall for several days. He says he wants to draw attention to the problem of illegal construction in the building where he lives, at 10 Osmana Đikića Street, about 700 meters from the Old Bridge.

- Young people came who bought an apartment of about 30 square meters on the ground floor of our building, and then expanded their apartment into the common areas, as well as into the yard, without asking the six other tenants in the building – Elezović told Patria.

- I have lived in that building for more than 20 years, some neighbors for about 50 years, but now some young people with money have come and usurped the common areas. The local authorities allowed them to do that. Because of the construction on the ground floor of the building, the walls of us other tenants have cracked, and no one cares about that. We are outraged by this. We will not give up seeking justice – Elezović said.

Since 2012, local elections have not been held in Mostar. There are no city councilors in the City Administration. Local power has fallen to two parties, the SDA and the HDZ BiH. At the head of the city is HDZ Mayor Ljubo Bešlić. They manage the city budget, as well as other activities in the city of Mostar. 

Elezović claims that he tried to seek justice through legal means, and informed the city inspection about the problems of his neighbors and himself, “but no one wants to help them.” Because of the rebellion against, as he says, illegal and unfair construction, he suffered verbal and physical attacks, but that did not scare him.