Confidence Building Measures Committee Promotes Understanding

The Confidence Building Measures Committee (CBMC) is an advisory body, set up under the High Representative’s Decision on restructuring of the City of Mostar and established by Ambassador Werner Wnendt, the High Representative’s Special Envoy for Mostar on April 2, 2004.

Besides the guarantees built into the new Statute, an additional reassurance to all was needed that new Mostar will be – MOSTAR FOR ALL – Mostar without domination and Mostar without parallel structures.

The CBMC’s role is to identify and recommend measures or projects which might contribute to the creation of an atmosphere of confidence and trust among the people of Mostar, in the context of consolidating the administrative, functional and legal unity of the City.

The recommendations adopted by the Committee will be forwarded to the relevant authorities as well as to the Mayor, the Deputy Mayor and the City Council for consideration. If this requires the involvement of higher echelons of government, above the City of Mostar, the Special Envoy may take proposals to the appropriate authorities.

The basic working principle of the Committee is openness to the ideas, initiatives and suggestions of Mostarians. Groups of citizens and citizens’ associations from areas of business, culture, art, ecology, sports and other forms of social life will have the opportunity to address the Committee with their ideas and suggestions. The Committee will also initiate regular communication with various representatives of Mostar’s political and social life.

The current number of members within the Committee is nine; however, it is planned that finally the Committee could be composed of up to 14 people, from different professional backgrounds and areas of expertise, representing all walks of life and civil society in Mostar.

Dr Zoran Pajić, Special Advisor to the High Representative on Domestic Institutions, chairs the Committee. The members of the Committee are Bubić Suzana, Dean Law Faculty, University Dzemal Bijedic; Cipra Erna, retired, a distinguished member of the Jewish Community; Đurasović Dalibor, medical doctor; Juka Slavica, Professor, Faculty of Pedagogy, University of Mostar; Klarić Smail, Professor, Faculty of Engineering, University Dzemal Bijedic; Marić Vlado, Project Manager, Nansen Dialogue Center; Milušić Jelena, Information technology graduate; Oručević Husein, OKC Abrašević, coordinator of NGO network; Škobić Helena, Head of the Neuropsychiatry Department of the Clinical Hospital Center.