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Due to the nature and complexity of the conflict, as well as the political
circumstances caused by the fighting in Mostar, European Union Administration of
Mostar (EUAM) headed by Mr. Hans Koschnick, was established following the
cease-fire reached in this region in the summer of 1994.
Bearing in mind the extremely high degree of war damage in what
used to be the industrial, economic and cultural centre of Herzegovina, the EUAM
made a concentrated effort to restore infrastructure (water and electricity
systems, telecommunication, housing, bridges, health and sports infrastructure,
assistance to refugees). Around 300 million DEM were invested in physical
reconstruction projects and in projects aimed at bringing the Croat and Bosniak
communities together, and normalising community relations and life in the
town.
In this period, one of the most important items of municipal
legislation was passed – the Interim Statute of Mostar (February 20, 1996),
according to which, Mostar was structured into six municipalities, governed by
the joint City Administration.
The EUAM's efforts and civic activities were supported by
the Western European Police (WEU), which was tasked to create the first post-war
joint police force in the city. Their work can be regarded as an embryo of
activities that were later continued by the UNMiBH upon their arrival in BiH.
In the summer of 1996, the EU Administrator Koschnick was
replaced by Mr. Perez Casado, who helped organize the first post-war municipal
elections in Mostar.
Following the elections, the EUAM Office was transformed into
the Office of the Special Envoy for Mostar (OSEM). Sir Martin Garrod was
appointed the Special Envoy, i.e. the Head of the Office which existed until the
opening of the Regional Office of the High Representative (South) in Mostar in
January 1997.
The last Head of the Regional Office of the High Representative (South)
in Mostar was Anatoly
Dmitriyevich Viktorov .
The Heads, in chronological order:
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