The High Representative, Christian Schwarz-Schilling, today welcomed the decision to form a new and unified city owned public utility company “Komunalno” adopted by the Mostar City Council this week.
At the same time the High Representative notes with regret that the City Council failed to adopt the Decision on Establishment of the Spatial Development Institute.
These two decisions were proposed by the Special Envoy to Mostar, Norbert Winterstein, in order to complete the unification of the city and to achieve sustainable compromises in the interest of the citizens of Mostar. They are the result of intensive consultations with all the parties involved.
On 18 December, at his last meeting with Mostar City Officials, the High Representative said that if domestic ownership over the process of unification of Mostar is not exercised he will be forced to take immediate action on the basis of Mr Winterstein’s proposals and bring these issues to a close.
The High Representative today imposed the two decisions the Mostar City Council failed to adopt:
The first establishing a City Spatial Development Institute as a legal entity enjoying the status of a city independent administrative organisation, with clearly defined competencies in the field of spatial development including the production and implementation of the City’s development strategy and programmes, producing a Spatial plan and Urban development plan for the City of Mostar and programmes for the development of construction land in the city.
The second establishing a Commission for the Issuance of Professional Assessments that would act as an expert opinion body dealing with cases where urban planning permits are needed at locations not regulated by the City spatial development plans.
Implementation of the decisions shall be the responsibility of the City Administration, led by the Mayor, Ljubo Beslic and supported by the City Council. The OHR Office in Mostar, headed by Anatoly Viktorov, will monitor implementation, and provide assistance if necessary.
“I will be following events in Mostar very closely. The Peace Implementation Council have supported the action necessary to ensure the completion of the unification of Mostar,” said the High Representative today. “A unified Mostar is a prerequisite for the functionality and stability of both the FBiH and BiH as a State.”