Four apartments, a flat, a quad: What does the Mayor of East Sarajevo, Ljubiša Ćosić own?

Ljubiša Ćosić was elected mayor of the municipality of East Novo Sarajevo in 2012. After two terms in that position, he was, for the first time through direct elections, elected Mayor of East Sarajevo in 2020. He is now serving his second term in that role. As his positions grew, so did his assets.

By: Sanja Vasković

In his 2021 asset declaration, Ćosić reported a 120-square-meter apartment worth 180,000 BAM.

In the meantime, he transferred ownership of that apartment and a garage in East Novo Sarajevo to his ex-wife. He previously told journalists that he bought the apartment using a loan of 70,000 BAM along with personal savings.

He repaid this loan in May 2020, after which he took out a new loan of 54,000 BAM.

In 2022, Ćosić told journalists from CIN that, in addition to what he had listed, he had savings of 30,000 BAM, “but that he had lent most of that money to friends.”

That same year, when submitting his 2021 asset report, he also bought a new car which he did not list, explaining that it was under a leasing arrangement and not registered in his name.

An asset declaration submitted to the Central Election Commission of Bosnia and Herzegovina (CIK BiH) in December 2024, upon taking office for his second term, shows that Ćosić has since increased his assets.

A drive to Jahorina

In his 2024 asset declaration, he estimated the same apartment at 300,000 BAM.

By the beginning of his second term as mayor of East Sarajevo, Ćosić had already acquired four apartments totaling 130 square meters, which he valued at nearly half a million KM—specifically 420,000 BAM.

The Passat he bought in 2021 is now valued at 50,000 BAM.

Interestingly, the mayor also owns a quad bike used for trips to his apartments on Jahorina, worth 20,000 BAM.

Ćosić’s friends, business owners in East Sarajevo, also own apartments on Jahorina.

He also owns a 20-square-meter garage worth 30,000 BAM.

Regarding income, under the category “other,” the mayor reported earnings of 15,000 BAM, without specifying the source.

He also declared bank debt of 100,000 BAM.

Aside from modest salary income, a car, and some loans, according to last year’s asset declaration, Ćosić’s spouse has no other income or property.

A company owned by Ćosić’s family

Between submitting asset reports to the CIK—i.e., between his two mandates—the mayor also managed to establish a company for electricity production, “BIO-B Solar” in East Novo Sarajevo. He founded the company in 2023 together with Božo Bobić, a businessman close to authorities in East Sarajevo.

Later, the mayor transferred his ownership share in the company to his father, a pensioner.

The company “BIO-B Solar” has installed solar panels in Toplik.

The company is not listed under the sections related to assets of household members in the asset declaration.

Solar panels in Ivanići, also in the municipality of East Novo Sarajevo, are co-owned by Bobić’s wife, Slađana.

It is paradoxical that these panels were built first and only afterward received an environmental permit from the City of East Sarajevo, headed by Ćosić.

Our portal has previously written about all of this in detail.

What is the mayor’s salary?

Over the years, the mayor’s salary has also increased.

In his 2021 asset declaration, Ćosić reported total income of 30,000 BAM, which would suggest a monthly salary of 2,500 BAM.

However, in CIN’s database of politicians’ assets, it is stated that his average salary at the time was 4,000 KM. This figure was calculated based on asset declarations from 2016 and 2020, as well as information from the City of East Sarajevo.

Two days ago, journalists from SPIN Info asked the mayor about his current salary.

“My salary is slightly above 5,000 BAM,” Ćosić said briefly. Before that, he explained how officials’ salaries are calculated.

“There is a specific law that regulates the salaries of officials at the level of Republika Srpska. I believe it is based on the average salary in the city administration multiplied by a certain coefficient, but don’t hold me to that—I don’t really deal with it,” Ćosić said.

Decisions on the salaries of officials in the City of East Sarajevo have almost never appeared on the agenda of the city assembly.

It should be noted that in Bosnia and Herzegovina, there is currently no institution or commission that verifies the accuracy of the data submitted by elected officials.

However, the question remains: has Ćosić declared all the real estate he owns in East Sarajevo?