Delegations of all levels of government paid tribute to the martyrs and the first president of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Alija Izetbegovic, by reciting a prayer or a minute of silence, and laying flowers at the Kovaci Martyrs' Cemetery in Sarajevo, on the occasion of March 1, BiH’s Independence Day.

Among those present were the Chairman of the BiH Presidency, Zeljko Komsic, BiH Presidency member Sefik Dzaferovic, and the Deputy Chairman of the House of Peoples of the BiH Parliamentary Assembly, Bakir Izetbegovic.

BiH Presidency Chairman Komsic pointed out that 30 years ago, a decision was made in a referendum to declare the independence of BiH, after which aggression followed and great sacrifices were made in the foundations of this state.

“This day we need to remember our comrades, who lie in this cemetery and cemeteries throughout BiH. If there is one moral obligation of all of us, it is that this country must never be betrayed or left to its enemies,” Komsic said.

BiH Presidency member Dzaferovic also congratulated the citizens of BiH on Independence Day and pointed out that this is an opportunity to remember those who are most deserving and who gave their lives for the freedom, integrity and independence of this country.

“The whole of Bosnia and Herzegovina is our freedom. We need to continue to fight for BiH, for which the best sons of this country also fought. We have been doing this for the past 30 years. There are forces that prevent us from doing that, but we have made many steps forward and that is still not what the best sons of this country fought for. This is because there are obstructions and retrograde ideas that were defeated in the war, but today in peace they are trying to realize their war-time goals by political means. Much bigger players were destroyed than BiH and ended up in The Hague at the dump of history, and so will those who are trying to attack BiH today,” said Dzaferovic.

Izetbegovic also congratulated the BiH citizens on the occasion of Independence Day.

“I congratulate you on 30 years of freedom. Freedom is the most important thing for the people and the state. We have defended ourselves and our freedom. Despite the problems we have in Bosnia and Herzegovina, it is a safe and stable country,” Izetbegovic said.

On this day, BiH declared independence after the decision was made by its citizens through a referendum. Then, the majority of citizens decided to separate the country from the then Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRY) and become independent.