About

City Council

The bodies of the City of Sarajevo are the City Council of the City of Sarajevo and the Mayor of the City of Sarajevo (Statute of the City of Sarajevo, “Official Gazette of Sarajevo Canton,” number 34/08).

The City Council, as a representative body of the City of Sarajevo’s citizens, is the City’s highest body and decides on all issues from Article 16 of the Statute of the City of Sarajevo.

The city council consists of 28 councilors. Each municipal council of the municipalities that make up the City of Sarajevo elects seven members of municipal councilors as delegates to the City Council.

As constitutive nations, Bosniaks, Croats, and Serbs will individually get a minimum of 20% seats in the City Council, and the group of Others at least 2 (two) seats, regardless of the election results.

City council

 adopts the Statute of the City of Sarajevo

  1. makes decisions, other regulations, and general acts and interprets them,
  2. adopts the Rules of Procedure of the City Council,
  3. elects and dismisses the chairman of the City Council, deputy chairmen of the City Council, members of the working bodies of the City Council, and the secretary of the City Council,
  4. elects and dismisses the Mayor and Deputy Mayors,
  5. approves the budget of the City of Sarajevo, adopts the report on the realization of the budget and the final account of the City of Sarajevo budget at the Mayor’s proposal,
  6. adopts development programs for individual activities on its responsibilities
  7. adopts detail urban plans including zooning
  8. passes regulations on city taxes and provides financial resources in another way, by the law,
  9. manages the use and disposal of the assets of the City of Sarajevo,
  10. establishes public companies and public institutions, and other legal entities for the performance of economic, social, communal, and other activities of interest to the City of Sarajevo,
  11. calls for a referendum on matters of interest to the City of Sarajevo,
  12. announces a public loan and the introduction of voluntary tax and decides on borrowings of the City of Sarajevo,
  13. enacts a regulation on the establishment and scope of work of administrative bodies in the City of Sarajevo,
  14. provides endorsement for the rulebook on the internal organization of the executive bodies of the City of Sarajevo,
  15. performs the tasks of the second-level authority, which the Mayor carries out by the regulations of the City of Sarajevo,
  16. passes regulations in the execution of delegated powers,
  17. makes decisions on recognitions and awards of the City of Sarajevo,
  18. performs other duties established by law and this statute.

The City Council supervises the work of the administrative bodies of the City of Sarajevo and has the right to gain insight into the implementation of its decisions, especially regarding city revenues and expenditures. For this purpose, the City Council may, on the proposal of one of the clubs of city councilors or one-quarter of the total number of city councilors, form a commission that can review the files in the premises of the City Administration and must submit a report to the City Council on the results of the review.

Mayor

The Mayor of the City of Sarajevo is the executive body of the City of Sarajevo.

The Mayor represents the City of Sarajevo and acts on its behalf.

The Mayor is responsible for the constitutionality and legality of the acts he passes or proposes to the City Council.

  • “The capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina is Sarajevo.”

(Article I, paragraph 5 of the Constitution of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Annex IV of the General Framework Agreement for Peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina).

  • “The capital of the Federation is Sarajevo.”

(Article 4 of the Constitution of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, “Official Gazette of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, No. 1/94)

  • “1. In the Canton of Sarajevo, the City of Sarajevo is established as a local self-government unit.

The Constitution of Sarajevo Canton will regulate which municipalities are part of the City of Sarajevo.

  1. The composition and manner of decision-making of the bodies of the City of Sarajevo maintain the multi-ethnicity and uniqueness of the City of Sarajevo as the capital of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
  2. 3. The jurisdiction, organizational structure, and decision-making method of the City of Sarajevo bodies are determined by the Canton Constitution, cantonal laws, and the Statute of the City by this Constitution.

(Amendment XXVI to the Constitution of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, “Official Gazette of the Federation of  Bosnia and Herzegovina,” number: 13/97)

 “The official name of the Canton is Sarajevo Canton. The seat of the Canton is in Sarajevo.”

(Article 3 of the Constitution of Sarajevo Canton “Official Gazette of Sarajevo Canton,” number 1/96)

  • “In the Canton of Sarajevo, the municipalities of Centar, Novi Grad, Novo Sarajevo, and Stari Grad from the City of Sarajevo (from now on: the City) as a local self-government unit. The Statute of the City regulates the jurisdiction and internal organization. The Statute of the City also regulates issues of vital national interest.”

(Amendment I to the Constitution of Sarajevo Canton, Official Gazette of Sarajevo Canton”, number 16/97)