Following the first local elections in 12 years in the City of Mostar, the inaugural session of the City Council of Mostar, composed of 35 local councillors, was held on 5 February 2021. On this occasion, Stewart Dickson (United Kingdom, ILDG), Congress Spokesperson on the Observation of Local and Regional Elections, welcomed the constitution of the City Council, as well as the election of its President and two deputies.

“The establishment of the City Council comes as a very significant result following a 12-year impasse in the City of Mostar. This is a historic session and one step closer to the election of a new Mayor and a fully functional local authority,” he stated. “The new authorities have now to respond to the high expectations that citizens of Mostar have for their city and daily lives. We look forward to continuing our co-operation with the City of Mostar and the Congress stands ready to provide its support and expertise in the forthcoming period.”

The Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe is implementing the project “Building democratic participation in the City of Mostar” within the Council of Europe Action Plan for Bosnia and Herzegovina 2018-2021. The aim of the project is to create opportunities for citizens to engage in deliberative process and increase their input in local decision-making. In turn, this process will foster dialogue at local level and contribute to the revitalisation of democratic processes in the City of Mostar.