Edin Forto

Edin Forto
Forto in 2023
Minister of Communication and Traffic
Assumed office
25 January 2023
Prime MinisterBorjana Krišto
Preceded byVojin Mitrović
Premier of Sarajevo Canton
In office
5 January 2021 – 25 January 2023
Preceded byMario Nenadić
Succeeded byDarja Softić-Kadenić (acting)
Nihad Uk
In office
26 December 2018 – 3 March 2020
Preceded byAdem Zolj
Succeeded byMario Nenadić
Parliamentary offices
Member of the Federal House of Peoples
In office
17 November 2014 – 20 November 2018
Additional positions
President of Our Party
Assumed office
4 September 2021
Preceded byPredrag Kojović
Personal details
Born (1972-08-16) 16 August 1972 (age 52)
Sarajevo, SR Bosnia and Herzegovina, SFR Yugoslavia
NationalityBosnian
Political partyOur Party
Spouse
Emina Šehagić
(m. 2014)
Children2
Alma mater

Edin Forto (born 16 August 1972) is a Bosnian politician serving as Minister of Communication and Traffic since January 2023. He previously served twice as Premier of Sarajevo Canton, from 2018 to 2020 and from 2021 to 2023.

Following the 2014 general election, Forto became a member of the Federal House of Peoples. Since September 2021, he has been president of Our Party. Before becoming president, he was vice-president of Our Party.[1]

A journalist and politologist by profession, Forto graduated in international affairs from Columbia University in 2001. He also obtained his Bachelor of Arts from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Before entering politics, he worked for Eurasia Group, as well as Nexe Group.

Early career

Forto was born in Sarajevo on 16 August 1972, where he graduated from "Ognjen Prica" high school in 1991. During the Bosnian War from 1992 to 1995, he worked as a journalist, editor, and DJ for several creative and media outlets, including Obala Art Center, Radio ZID, Radio 202, and BH Dani magazine.

Following the end of the war, Forto moved to the United States in September 1995. He received a Bachelor of Arts in Media and Journalism from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1999. Two years later, he graduated in international affairs from Columbia University. He spent two years at Eurasia Group, a political consultancy in New York City, before moving back to Sarajevo in 2003, when he joined Nexe Group, a Croatian industrial company specializing in construction materials and road building.

Political career

Forto remained with Nexe group until August 2015 when he became a politician. After the 2014 general election, he became a member of the Federal House of Peoples, the upper chamber of the Federal Parliament.[2][3]

Forto served as Premier of Sarajevo Canton from 26 December 2018 until 3 March 2020.[4] Following the 2020 municipal elections, he was once again chosen as the Sarajevo Canton Premier, taking office on 5 January 2021.[5]

On 4 September 2021, Forto became the new president of the social-liberal Our Party.[6] He became the party's president after his predecessor, Predrag Kojović, resigned from his position as president.[7]

On 25 January 2023, following the formation of a new Council of Ministers presided over by Borjana Krišto, Forto was appointed as the new Minister of Communication and Traffic within Krišto's government.[8]

Personal life

Forto lives in Sarajevo. He married Emina Šehagić in 2014, and together they have two children.[9]

On 9 September 2021, Forto was successfully treated for inflammation of the cervical spine nerve, which he was diagnosed with the previous month.[10]

References

  1. ^ "Predrag Kojovic as the New President of "Nasa Stranka"". SarajevoTimes. 18 May 2015.
  2. ^ "CIK objavio imena stranaka i poslanika u Skupštini Kantona Sarajevo". Klix.
  3. ^ "CIK BiH potvrdio rezultate izbora za Dom naroda Parlamenta FBiH". Radio Sarajevo. 15 January 2015.
  4. ^ Er.M. (3 March 2020). "Imenovana nova Vlada Kantona Sarajevo! SDA, SBB i DF preuzeli kormilo" (in Bosnian). Klix.ba. Retrieved 3 March 2020.
  5. ^ "Četvorka se danas zvanično vratila na vlast u Kantonu Sarajevo". Klix.ba (in Bosnian). Retrieved 5 January 2021.
  6. ^ N.V. (4 September 2021). "Edin Forto je novi predsjednik Naše stranke" (in Bosnian). Klix.ba. Retrieved 4 September 2021.
  7. ^ M.G. (28 June 2021). "Kojović ostaje na čelu Naše stranke do kongresa u septembru" (in Bosnian). Klix.ba. Retrieved 28 June 2021.
  8. ^ N.V. (25 January 2023). "BiH dobila novo Vijeće ministara, državnu vlast sada čini SNSD, HDZ, SDP, NiP, NS, DNS..." (in Bosnian). Klix.ba. Retrieved 25 January 2023.
  9. ^ "EDIN FORTO: Supruga mi daje snagu kad me zatrpa sve ovo što me je snašlo". gracija.ba (in Bosnian). Interviewed by Mersiha Drinjaković. 25 January 2019. Retrieved 25 January 2019.
  10. ^ "Premijer Kantona Sarajevo Edin Forto operisan u Tirani" (in Bosnian). Klix.ba. 9 September 2021. Retrieved 9 September 2021.
Political offices
Preceded by Minister of Communication and Traffic
2023–present
Incumbent