Elections in the regions of Bosna and Sava will determine leadership positions in those regions.  Another sign of the growth for the Platform for Progress since its inception in 2018. However, as Mirsad Hadžkadić president of the Platform for Progress told me during our recent conversation, this process in itself is posing its own set of challenges.  We also spoke about how these challenges in addition to the continued internal strife which must be addressed, are taking valuable time away from the strategizing for the 2022 presidential elections.

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As the Platform for Progress continues to address internal personnel issues that have arisen since the local elections in November 2020, it is becoming even more evident that many of these issues are being spawned as a result of a young and growing democratic movement.  And with growth comes the dynamic of new challenges.  Mirsad Hadžikadić, the president of the Platform, and I spoke about these ongoing issues, the challenges that must be addressed, and at the same time balance efforts to begin preparing for the presidential elections in 2022.

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The Platform for Progress continues to struggle with internal strife that has been plaguing the organization since the local elections back in November.  The president of the Platform, Mirsad Hadžikadić, says it has become very apparent that outsiders have infiltrated the ranks of the organization resulting in infighting, changing allegiances, defaming posts about himself and questions about who to trust these days.  Mirsad and I spoke about these troubling times and what can be done as it tries to prepare for its annual convention coming up later in the month. 

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The Platform for Progress is diligently preparing for its annual convention, which is coming up in February.  This includes rewriting the current bylaws to better reflect the goals and missions of the Platform following lessons learned during the recent local elections across the country.  The new bylaws will then be presented during the convention and voted upon by the delegates.  Mirsad Hadzikadic, the president of the Platform for Progress, openly admits these are very challenging times for the Platform as it addresses everything from internal personnel issues, to voter fraud allegations in Mostar.

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Following the local election in Mostar in November there was clear evidence of fraud, votes being stolen.  The Platform for Progress filed a grievance with the Bosnian Central Electoral Commission, making it aware of the situation and asking for a recount.  However, the commission passed on the grievance to the Supreme Court of Bosnia, which turned down that request.  This, as we hear from Mirsad Hadzikadic the president of the Platform, despite documentation of votes being stolen, and in the majority of the cases from Platform for Progress candidates.  We spoke about the dilemma and what, if anything, can be done.

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Hopes were running high for the Platform for Progress following the local elections in November as there were clear signs that the Platform was indeed becoming a political force, a power broker, in Bosnian politics.  However, events of recent have cast a bit of a shadow on the new enthusiasm as the strategizing for the 2022 general elections had already begun.  There were already plans underway to restructure some of the personnel within the Platform, which in itself was causing some personnel issues.  However, one of the top members of the presidential governing board handed in his resignation as well as some other members of the Platform.  There has been a defection by at least one Platform member who was elected to a city council seat.  And with all of this the mudslinging against Mirsad and the Platform has begun in earnest both internally and externally.  I recently spoke with Mirsad about these troubling and challenging times and what lies ahead.

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With the local elections in Bosnia and Herzegovina now over the Platform for Progress has begun in earnest its planning and strategizing for the 2022 general elections.  For Mirsad Hadzikadić, president of the Platform for Progress, and the members of his team they now have the luxury of having been through one general election and the local elections.  They can look at what did and did not work as they plan for the future.  Over the last 2 1/2 years the Platform has established itself as a political force, and with that the growing pains that come with it.  Mirsad and I spoke about the most recent meeting of the presidential governing board as it looks forward to the 2022 presidential election and what needs to be done.

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The Platform for Progress had hoped to pick up at least two of the 35 available city council seats during the local elections in Mostar.  Mirsad Hadzikadić, president of the Platform for Progress, said this would have been a remarkable accomplishment for such a young political party in this ethnically divided city that had not seen a local election for 12 years.  However, it was not to be.  During my recent conversation with Hadzikadić, he said the reports of and evidence of unprecedented fraud that occurred throughout the process made that dream impossible.  

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For the first time in 12 years, citizens in the city of Mostar will be headed to the polls to elect city council members.  For the last several week’s candidates from the Platform for Progress have been involved with an aggressive grassroots campaigning strategy.  Getting out, walking the streets, meeting and greeting the citizens of the city.  The president of the Platform, Mirsad Hadzikadic, has walked with each of the candidates vying for city council seats.  We spoke just three days prior to the election about its significance for the city and the country as well.  And the interesting dynamic that the Platform, due to its growth and popularity, is now becoming a political powerbroker.  

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Newly elected Platform for Progress candidates who will serve on city council seats across Bosnia and Herzegovina recently gathered together to discuss their recent victories and to plan strategies moving forward.  As Mirsad Hadzikadic told me in our recent discussion, they are all now learning the nuances of now being an elected official, their responsibilities to the citizens of those towns and of course the Platform as a whole.  We also spoke about the ongoing campaign for council seat candidates in upcoming elections in Mostar.

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