Banja Luka parking dispute over mayoral authority

A new regulation regarding public parking in Banja Luka has sparked a legal dispute over whether the mayor has the authority to independently expand paid parking zones. While the City Assembly granted the mayor power to issue the regulation in August, legal experts and city officials are questioning the legitimacy of this delegation.

Lawyer Aleksandar Jokić argues that the mayor lacks this authority, noting that the Constitutional Court of Republika Srpska previously ruled that such regulations must be issued by the City Assembly rather than the mayor. Jokić suggests a final court decision could take up to 18 months.

Ljubo Ninković, President of the City Assembly, stated that the mayor is encroaching on the Assembly's jurisdiction over city property. Ninković indicated he may initiate a formal assessment of the regulation's constitutionality. Similarly, Dijana Ješić of the Narodni Front expressed concern that the August decision improperly transferred powers that should remain with the Assembly, noting that citizens will ultimately bear the consequences of the dispute.