MOSTAR, 14 Aug (Hina) - The Mostar City Council elected a candidate of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) in Bosnia-- Herzegovina, Ivica Prskalo, to the post of Mostar mayor. Prskalo was elected by secret vote.
MOSTAR, 14 Aug (Hina) - The Mostar City Council elected a
candidate of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) in Bosnia--
Herzegovina, Ivica Prskalo, to the post of Mostar mayor. Prskalo
was elected by secret vote. #L#
Safet Orucevic, the head of the list 'For a United
Mostar' was elected deputy mayor by the same system of voting.
The Croat representatives agreed that there be no re-
election of the City Council President Hamdija Jahic.
Vjekoslav Kordic was elected City Council Vice President.
According to the Election Committee, the officials were elected
unanimously.
For Mayor Ivan Prskalo and Deputy Mayor Safet Orucevic
the election to the new posts means the cessation of their
mandates as councilors.
Mayor Prskalo thanked the Council and promised he would
fulfill his obligations to the benefit of all Mostar
residents.
The City Council President Hamdija Jahic said after the
voting that during a 3,5-hour break the head of the HDZ bench
Srecko Vucina and the head of the list "For a United Mostar'
Safet Orucevic had agreed with EU special representative
Martin Garrod that a proposal be put forth that the fourth
item of today's agenda be excluded from it. Concerning the
disputable item, the Bosniac side demanded that the
transitional city statute be changed while the Croat side
demanded that the agreement the two sides signed on 6 August
be accepted in whole instead.
It was proposed in the end that 6 August Agreement be
accepted as a whole and all 37 councilors accepted this
proposal. The City Council as well as all municipal bodies
were entrusted with the implementation of all articles of the
agreement.
After the session, Garrod said he understood the concern of
the Bosniac people about Article 7 of 6 August Agreement,
which says that 'the mayor of the city would be a Croat,
taking into consideration that the governor of the Neretva
Canton and Mostar mayor must be of different nationalities'.
The concern was connected with the possibility of a change
in the nationality of Neretva Canton governor after September
elections, Garrod said, adding he would ask from EU member
states to secure that both sides fully implement the article.
After he read out his statement, Garrod said he would sign
and give it to the President of the Mostar City Council.
(hina) rm
142152 MET aug 96