| D66 Almere delegation: | Margriet de Jong (county councillor for Flevoland) |
| Gretha Boom (town councillor for Almere) |
The visit took place from Friday 17 August until Monday 20 August 2001
Purpose: to meet and get to know the LDS party branch in Jablanica and to investigate the possibility of a twinning-partnership resulting in the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the two party-branches at the end of the visit.
As a result of these workshops, Ms de Jong thought that there could be an additional effect if a more one-to-one and grassroot level approach would be applied. If a Bosnian local party branch and a Dutch local party branch would start working together, more direct results might be achieved as well as a generating a multiplier effect especially when local Bosnian party members would take over the role of trainers in the region. Moreover, a direct exchange between party branches might also be beneficial in view of future EU membership by getting acquainted with one another's cultural background.
The idea was proposed both to the D66 IDI board, the ELPG and the Almere D66 local branch. All were in favour of starting at least a pilot project. In November 2000, Ms de Jong visited Sarajevo again as a trainer for a seminar for mandate holders. She then proposed the twinning idea to the participants of the parties present (LDS, HSS, DSRS) and by using a SWOT analysis worked out the advantages and disadvantages of such a partnership. The overall conclusion was positive.
The next step was a questionnaire that was distributed during the Spring of 2001 to 3 different local party branches in order to establish the most suitable partner. The outcome was that the local LDS branch of Jablanica seemed most suitable for the pilot project.
Contact was established with the assistance representatives of the Friedrich Naumann Stiftung, who also assisted in the actual organisation of the first meeting.
A date was agreed to meet each other and discuss a draft memorandum which had already been translated into Bosnian and sent to the local LDS party branch well in advance. If the discussions turned out successful, the MOU would be signed at the end of the introduction visit.
The city council consists of 37 members, 5 of whom belong to D66. The party is in opposition, though in the previous period (1994-1998) it had 10 councillors and 2 eldermen on the executive board. The parties in charge are: the liberal party (VVD), the social-democratic party (PvdA), the green-left party (GL) and the Christian Democrats (CDA). Other parties on the council are marginal local parties, a seniors party and a religious party.
D66 Almere has about 110 members, of those approximately 30 play an active role in the party.
The local council consists of 17 members. 6 belong to the SDP, 6 to the SDA (nationalist party), 1 GDS (?), 1 PDS (?), 1 Pensioners party, 1 Local party and 1 to LDS (Dune Cilic). The LDS councillor, Dune Cilic, was elected by the other members of the council to be its chairman. The mayor is a member of the SDP. For tactical reasons,the LDS voted with the SDP and formed with the other small parties an alliance for change. Unfortunately, not much has changed since the SDP came to power, most of the time seems wasted on political fights between the SDP and the SDA. The LDS has decided time has come to follow their own course again and show some opposition against all this stagnation. Main issues at the moment: Planning for the next 10 years, Problems of devolving funds which should come from the cantonal level (1 mln KM) and the earlier mentioned damage claim.
Although the LDS has only one councillor and is it often difficult to make proposals because who proposes, counts more than what is proposed, nevertheless the LDS has been instrumental and successful in the following changes:
The success of the LDS in Jablanica seems for a large part as a result of a tremendous amount of commitment and positive drive by its local leader and councillor Dune Cilic. This was noticed also in the interaction between him and party members and citizens alike.
The LDS in Jablanica has around 130 members (not quite sure, administration is not completely up to date). About 30 members are active members. A relatively high number of them seem to be professionals (teachers, businessmen, etc.) which interestingly quite corresponds with D66's party profile. Age ranges from early twenties to mid-fifties.
To exchange information and expertise in the area of party politics and broader societal issues and to exchange best practice experiences.
To work together in strengthening democratic and (social) liberal principles in a still largely nationalistic (mono-ethnic) political environment.
To work out projects which may lead to the development of a "train-the-trainer" process for a larger geographical area.
To contribute to a mutual understanding of each other's cultures also in view of possible future EU membership of Bosnia-Hercegovina.
To work together in public, both in Jablanica and Almere. To attract attention for this special partnership and its expression of democratic and (social) liberal viewpoints and actions.
To transfer skills to selected members of the LDS branch to train in specific subject areas. These members may take on the role of trainers who will in turn transfer skills and information to a wider geographical area.
To organise personal exchanges between members of LDS Jablanica and D66 Almere. This will contribute to mutual cultural understanding.
After a smooth hour and a half journey, the delegation finally arrived in Jablanica at approximately 17.00 pm where they were met by a large number (ca. 10) of LDS local party members. One of the LDS members (Resul) made a video of the major events of the whole two-day visit. This was a great initiative because it enables the D66 delegation to share their experience with other D66 members in Almere.
After an introductory session in which everyone was introduced together with some personal information, further discussions followed on general issues. Already the first striking comparisons in similar attitudes became clear (similarities in party member profiles, attitude to transparency etc.). A short stroll through the town followed, including visiting the famous site of the WWII battle at the river, Neretve. The collapsed bridge is still a monument to that battle. After this walk we drove to a nearby restaurant on the lake, where all of us had dinner together, and got acquainted with one another. Short welcoming toasts were pronounced by both Dune Cilic and Margriet de Jong.
Back at the hotel around 21.45 pm.
After a short break at 11.30 am the meeting continued with Dune Cilic's presentation about Jablanica. Dune is the LDS' elected mandate holder at the local council. Problem areas were identified as non-transparency in public companies which covers up the fact that they are badly managed. Also the issue of the restitution claim for the damage incurred due to submerging of several villages to create an artificial lake (reservoir) was discussed.
At 13.00 pm lunch was taken at a nearby village and the meeting continued at 15.00 pm for the final discussions about the contents of the MOU and clear up any outstanding matters. Two topics were selected for the period until the end of the year: pre-election campaigning and housing and land use planning (for details see MOU and annex).
At 16.30 pm the meeting finished and the D66 delegation and the interpreter were taken by two of the members to a nearby fish pont/farm. A small family business cultivating trout and supplying local restaurants but even extending its business as far as Sarajevo.
In the evening about 10 LDS members, the D66 delegation and the interpreter, met for drinks and dinner at a local Jablanica restaurant that is owned by a LDS party member. Aid Husrep, a LDS member who has been blind since birth, sang some beautiful old and modern sevdah (traditional Bosnian) songs accompanying himself on the accordeon. Aid travels on a daily basis to the Pavaroti Music Centre in Mostar to make music and take lessons. He presented us with a CD which he had recently produced. A very nice gesture. Back to the hotel around 23.00 pm.
In the evening Gretha Boom met with Erik Boven of the VNG to discuss the twinning project and the projects the VNG is organising in BiH. Margriet de Jong joined them towards the end of the evening. The VNG is to invite all local authorities to attend certain workshops. They can then make a proposal for a special project. The three best projects will be awarded with funding by the VNG. Dune Cilic will be informed about this programme and be stimulated to look out for it.
At 13.00 pm a final informal meeting took place at the office of FNS in Sarajevo, where the D66 delegation met with ELPG and FNS local staff, Alema Saditovic and Adnan Huskic. At 14.00 pm Julien Komsic collected Gretha Boom and Margriet de Jong to take to the airport. Smooth journey back home, no delays. Back in Almere at 21.00 pm.
Almere, 26 August 2001
Margriet de Jong