Morgan Ortagus, Department Spokesperson
The United States welcomes the agreement between the SDA and HDZ-BiH political parties in Bosnia and Herzegovina to restore the right of Mostar residents to elect their local government and end the decade-long impasse over the conduct of local elections.
The city of Mostar, and the country as a whole, will significantly benefit from this breakthrough. Both SDA President Bakir Izetbegovic and HDZ-BiH President Dragan Covic demonstrated leadership and political courage in pursuit of the necessary compromise. The United States also commends the hard work of the two parties’ local boards and the cooperative spirit in which they approached the negotiations. Compromise reached through negotiation is an essential feature of thriving democracies. We hope today’s achievement will be the first among many actions to empower the citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina as the country advances on the path toward Euro-Atlantic integration.
The United States looks forward to participating in electoral observation efforts in Mostar this fall and celebrating the inalienable right of people to choose their leaders.