Jajce

The municipality of Jajce is situated in the southern part of the Central Bosnia Canton. It borders the municipalities of Donji Vakuf, Travnik, Mrkonjić Grad, Šipovo and Kneževo. During the war, this municipality was controlled by the Bosnian Serb Army. In that period, Bosniaks and Bosnian Croats fled seeking refuge in the municipalities of Travnik, Vinac, Bugojno, Busovača and Vitez. In 1995, the Croatian Defence Council (HVO) regained control of the city and 12,000 people soon returned to the municipality. Unfortunately due to political impediments, the Bosniak population was unable to return. As a result, the municipality was split between the Bosniak-led administration located in Vinac and Croatian-led administration located in Jajce.

The political situation remained unchanged until the 1997 elections and in particular, the 2000 elections (political emergence of the Social Democratic Party - 19.3% of seats). In that period, a significant number of Bosniaks and a number of Bosnian Serbs returned to the municipality. It is estimated that more than 8,500 Bosniaks and approximately 900 Bosnian Serbs had returned to the municipality by May of 2002. Particularly encouraging is the fact that 257 Bosnian Serbs returned in the first five months of 2002 which indicates a growing interest to return on the part of Bosnian Serbs.

While security is no longer an issue, the main obstacle for further minority returns, particularly of Bosnian Serbs, is the lack of housing units which were destroyed during the war. Namely, reconstruction activities do not adequately respond to the needs of the returning population. In order to build upon the momentum of return and to support the restoration of a multi-ethnic community, ASB supports the consolidation of the return of Bosnian Serbs to the municipality.