Abdulah Skaka

Skaka was born 5 December 1983 in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the oldest of six children to Dr. Uzeir Skaka (died 2015) and Amra.[1][2] His paternal grandfather, also named Abdulah, was a co-founder of the Party of Democratic Action in 1990.[3]

The Skaka family first arrived to Sarajevo around 1665,[4] when his ancestor opened the cities first barber shop in the Stari Grad municipality.[5] with Abdulah being the co-owner.

Since 2009, he has worked as the general manager of SKY Media company in Sarajevo.[6] Skaka lives in Stari Grad with his wife and two children.[7][8]

Skaka joined the Party of Democratic Action in 2013 and was selected by 16 out of the 28 members of the City Council of Sarajevo to become the 38th Mayor of the city on 6 February 2017, replacing Ivo Komšić.[9]

In July 2019, he awarded American senator Bob Dole the Key to the City of Sarajevo for his 96th birthday, inviting him to the visit the city again for his 97th birthday in 2020.[10]

Skaka claimed to have graduated the School of Economics and Business at the University of Sarajevo in 2011, although in October 2018 it was found that he actually attended the University of Travnik.[11] He also been criticized for his lack of knowledge of regional politics and politicians, such as once claiming on television that Bosnian politician Stjepan Kljuić was the president of Croatia Stjepan Mesić, apparently confusing the two.[12]

On 28 February 2020, it was revealed in a leaked recording that his election for Sarajevo mayor was not legitimate and that decisive votes had been bought.[13][14] Publishing of the leaked recording resulted in a series of calls for resignation or suspension of Skaka, including petition by citizens[15], several calls for resignation or suspension by politicians or political parties present in the City Council of Sarajevo[16][17][18], and by intellectuals.[19]