02/17/2013 OHR

Mostar Citizens Call On Political Parties to Compromise

A poll commissioned by the OHR, conducted at the end of January 2013, has found that an overwhelming majority of Mostar citizens want the two biggest political parties in Mostar to compromise in order to end the city’s long and damaging crisis.

Significantly, over 74 percent – including very large majorities of Croats and Bosniaks – said they would support the creation of multiethnic City Areas as well as multiethnic electoral units from which the City Council would be elected.

Almost three quarters of those polled believed that the City Areas should have a continuing role in the administration of the City.

When asked if the HDZ BiH and SDA should stick to their positions even if this would lead to the collapse in the city, over 80 percent of respondents, Croats and Bosniaks, said ‘No’.

Not only did citizens who took part in the poll resoundingly support a fair and sensible compromise – the level of support for compromise was comparable among all three Constituent Peoples.

The message is clear: Mostar citizens want serious talks and a sensible settlement.

579 Mostar citizens representative of the ethnicity, gender, age, education, income and area of residence of the City as a whole were polled by the Partner Agency between 29 and 31 January 2013.

Details of the poll can be found here