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. A journalist and

politologist Political science is the scientific study of politics. It is a social science dealing with systems of governance and power, and the analysis of political activities, political thought, political behavior, and associated constitutions and laws ...

by profession, Forto graduated in international affairs from

Columbia University Columbia University in the City of New York, commonly referred to as Columbia University, is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Churc ...

in 2001. He also obtained his

Bachelor of Arts A Bachelor of Arts (abbreviated B.A., BA, A.B. or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is the holder of a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the liberal arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts deg ...

from

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC, UNC–Chapel Hill, or simply Carolina) is a public university, public research university in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States. Chartered in 1789, the university first began enrolli ...

. Before entering politics, he worked for

Eurasia Group Eurasia Group is a political risk consultancy founded in 1998 by Ian Bremmer. History Eurasia Group reports on emerging markets including frontier and developed economies, in addition to establishing practices focused on geo-technology and energ ...

, as well as Nexe Group.

Early career

Forto was born in

Sarajevo Sarajevo ( ), ; ''see Names of European cities in different languages (Q–T)#S, names in other languages'' is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Bosnia and Herzegovina, largest city of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a population of 2 ...

on 16 August 1972, where he graduated from "Ognjen Prica" high school in 1991. During the

Bosnian War The Bosnian War ( / Рат у Босни и Херцеговини) was an international armed conflict that took place in Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bosnia and Herzegovina between 1992 and 1995. Following several earlier violent incid ...

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 '' BH Dani'' is a Bosnian language magazine website based in Sarajevo. Until 2010, it was published as a weekly, and then as a monthly magazine. In 2023, the printed edition was replaced with a wholly online model of release. History ''BH Dani, ...

'' magazine. Following the end of the war, Forto moved to the United States in September 1995. He received a

in Media and Journalism from the

in 1999. Two years later, he graduated in international affairs from

. He spent two years at

, a political consultancy in

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

, 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 The Parliament of Australia (officially the Parliament of the Commonwealth and also known as the Federal Parliament) is the federal legislature of Australia. It consists of three elements: the monarch of Australia (represented by the governor ...

. Forto served as Premier of Sarajevo Canton from 26 December 2018 until 3 March 2020. Following the 2020 municipal elections, he was once again chosen as the Sarajevo Canton Premier, taking office on 5 January 2021. On 4 September 2021, Forto became the new president of the social-liberal Our Party. He became the party's president after his predecessor,

Predrag Kojović Predrag Kojović (; born 2 July 1965) is a member of the national House of Representatives of Bosnia and Herzegovina, House of Representatives since 2018. From 2014 to 2018, Kojović was a member of the House of Representatives of the Federation ...

, resigned from his position as president. On 25 January 2023, following the formation of a new

Council of Ministers Council of Ministers is a traditional name given to the supreme Executive (government), executive organ in some governments. It is usually equivalent to the term Cabinet (government), cabinet. The term Council of State is a similar name that also m ...

presided over by

Borjana Krišto Borjana Krišto (; born 13 August 1961) is a Bosnian Croat politician serving as Chairwoman of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina since January 2023. She previously served as the 8th president of the Federation of Bosnia and He ...

, Forto was appointed as the new Minister of Communication and Traffic within Krišto's government.

Personal life

Forto lives in

. He married Emina Šehagić in 2014, and together they have two children, Emir and Naida. On 9 September 2021, Forto was successfully operated upon in Albania for inflammation of the cervical spine nerve, which he was diagnosed with the previous month at a hospital in Sarajevo.

References

External links

Edin Forto
at biografija.org {{DEFAULTSORT:Forto, Edin 1972 births Living people Politicians from Sarajevo UNC Hussman School of Journalism and Media alumni School of International and Public Affairs, Columbia University alumni Bosnia and Herzegovina atheists Politicians of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Our Party (Bosnia and Herzegovina) politicians Government ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina