Ljubo Beslic, the Mayor of Mostar which saw its last local elections in 2008, welcomed the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruling, which urged Bosnian authorities to change electoral legislation and enable the voters in this southern city to elect their representatives.

“This is the first ruling which sets a deadline and it is practically a must for our Parliament to work and solve the issue of Mostar,” Beslic told N1, stressing that the Election law changes will lead to accelerated democratisation of the city.

The Strasbourg-based court acted upon the appeal by Mostar politician Irma Baralija and found that the failure of local authorities in Bosnia to enforce a 2010 Constitutional Court ruling concerning arrangements for voting in local elections in Mostar had created “a legal void” which made it impossible to vote or stand in elections.

The last local election in Mostar was held in 2008. Two years later, the Constitutional Court acted upon a motion by Croat representatives in the state Parliament, assessing parts of the state Election Law referring to Mostar as unconstitutional.

The city which is divided among two main right-wing parties – the Croat Democratic Union (HDZ) and the Bosniak Party for Democratic Action (SDA) – and the two never managed to find an agreement on how the problem should be solved.

According to Beslic, the responsibility for the lack of elections in Mostar lies on the political parties that participated in the City Council of Mostar.

“Political parties which participated in the work towards the solution to solve the Constitutional Court's ruling on the City of Mostar reached two possible solutions. The SDA then came up with an idea to change the Statute too. As you know, the Election Law does not treat this issue but the City Council. I can sign anything you want but I have no responsibility because I don't know if I will be a part of the majority in the City Council, which is needed for the Statute's change. That was a way out of signing that agreement,” said Beslic, the HDZ BiH member.

Over the past 12 months without elections, the Mayor said, the citizens lost a lot because the city was not functional.

“I wish more than anyone in Mostar that elections are held not tomorrow but today. Why? Because you have no idea what kind of situation we have,” said Beslic.

The ECHR passed the decision unanimously and urged the state to amend the relevant legislation within six months at the latest.