BOSNIA/HERZEGOVINA: A Bosnian man, who was banned from running in next month's local elections for using pornographic images on the Internet as part of his campaign, says he will fight to be reinstated and get a chance to turn his town into "Hollywood"

Record ID: 346651

  • Title: BOSNIA/HERZEGOVINA: A Bosnian man, who was banned from running in next month's local elections for using pornographic images on the Internet as part of his campaign, says he will fight to be reinstated and get a chance to turn his town into "Hollywood"
  • Date: 28th September 2012
  • Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (Bosnian) BANNED MAYORAL CANDIDATE MIRAD HADZIAHMETOVIC, SAYING: "An independent candidate like me can create some noise, as I did, and affect the mood of the people but real changes can be made only by those who have executive powers." HADZIAHMETOVIC IN FRONT OF COMPUTER
  • Embargoed: 13th October 2012 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Bosnia and Herzegovina
  • Country: Bosnia and Herzegovina
  • Topics: Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA9MU6K3MXRQARR03PXVEHBEJJM
  • Story Text: A Bosnian man, who was banned from running in the next month's local elections for using pornographic images on the Internet as part of his campaign, says he will fight to be reinstated and get a chance to turn his town into "Hollywood".
    The self-proclaimed "innovator" had been running as an independent candidate for mayor of Zenica, the fourth-largest city in Bosnia with a predominantly Muslim population, in the Oct. 7 ballot.
    The election commission removed him from the race last week over pornographic material accessible on his campaign web page.
    "The Bosnian court will annul the shameful decision by the CEC (Central Election Commission) but the real question is what will happen after that," Mirad Hadziahmetovic said.
    "An independent candidate like me can create some noise, as I did, and affect the mood of people but the real changes can be made only by those who have executive powers," he added.
    After each question visitors to his web page posed about local election issues, they were allowed to proceed to links with pornographic content, which had to be removed after the commission's decision.
    Hadziahmetovic appealed against what he said was a "shameful decision" to Bosnia's state court this week and voiced confidence that it would be overturned.
    "It is only my poster that doesn't show my photograph. My poster promotes love," Hadziahmetovic said.
    Many residents of Zenica expressed their support for Hadziahmetovic and his campaign but few believe that independent candidates like him can bring needed change.
    "I will vote for him, yes, I will, and he will win, God permitting," said a Zenica resident who met Hadziahmetovic on street.
    "Everything is the same as it was before. There are a few new faces who were not in politics before, but I don't expect them to bring some changes either," said Salcinovic Abdulgafar.
    In an open letter asking for support from Western ambassadors in Bosnia, Hadziahmetovic said he only wanted to turn Zenica into a Hollywood instead of a Tehran, referring to Zenica's current mayor, who comes from a Bosnian Muslim party with post-war links to Iran.
    Despite the ban Hadziahmetovic considers his campaign as huge success.
    "I was not known before. Seven days after my campaign started the whole world talked about me. I think I have had a super campaign and proved to be the best market expert in Bosnia," he said.
    Hadziahmetovic said he will file a suit to the Strasbourg-based European Court of Human Rights if he is not re-instated as a candidate.
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