On her 100th birthday, World War II heroine Jelena Vitas got a park named after her in the central part of the Bosnian capital. The plate carrying her name was officially unveiled on Thursday.

“Today marks 100 years since the birth of Jelena Vitas, and here we're unveiling this plate with her name,” said Damir Arnaut, the state parliamentarian who initiated the idea of naming the park in Sarajevo after Vitas. “Before the 1992-95 war Jelena used to have a street and kindergarten named after her, and I am happy that her name is back in Sarajevo and I am grateful to everyone who supported this idea.”

Vitas was an active member of the People's Liberation Movement (NOP) from the beginning of Sarajevo's occupation in 1941 and was arrested in 1942 by the Ustasha extremists, who tortured her at the headquarters of the Ustasha Control Service.

She was then transported to the Jasenovac concentration camp and killed at the end of 1944.

“This is one of the stories of the spirit of Sarajevo, the spirit of multiculturalism, anti-fascist resistance, our need to remember the names of those who lost their lives for the freedom of the city,” said Mustafa Resic, advisor of the Sarajevo Centre Municipality Head.

Sarajevans who were acquainted with the Vitas family attended the ceremony.

“It is a pity that Natalija (Jelena's sister), who died in a nursing home, didn't live to see this day. She came from the family of fighters who never complained or spoke about the courageous and tragic fate of her sister,” said Milka Sokolovic, a retired teacher.

Sarajevo Canton Assembly endorsed earlier this year the MP's initiative, which was the first time a lower level of authority adopted an initiative coming from the State Parliament.