Protests under the slogans "Zenica Rises" and "Sarajevo Rises" took place Sunday in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Citizens demanded institutional reforms and accountability from authorities. The demonstrations, organized by the citizen group "Zenica Rises" and the student movement "Hoćel’ ta promenade" (“Is the change coming”), attracted large crowds in both cities despite the rainy weather.
In Zenica, protesters gathered to demand measures against rising prices, calling for an immediate review and reduction of costs amid the ongoing economic crisis. They insisted on the implementation of anti-inflation policies in collaboration with independent experts and urged authorities to take swift action before the March 10 deadline they set for negotiations with the Federation government.
Meanwhile, in Sarajevo, the protests were focused on the recent flood disaster that claimed 27 lives, particularly in Donja Jablanica. Protesters demanded accountability for the loss of lives and questioned the authorities’ handling of the stone quarry above Donja Jablanica, which remains under preliminary investigation. They also criticized the slow progress of recovery efforts, which continue to leave affected areas in critical condition months after the floods.
The protest march in Sarajevo began at Bascarsija and moved toward the Parliament of Bosnia and Herzegovina, where demonstrators voiced their demands. Citizens warned authorities to take their grievances seriously, threatening future boycotts if their concerns remain unaddressed.
Speakers in Zenica also highlighted concerns over the handling of flood relief funds, calling for transparency in how public money allocated for recovery was spent.
Additional demands included pension increases, a review of Zenica’s heating company, action against school bullying, and an end to political disputes over the construction of a new hospital. Protesters set a March 3 deadline for authorities to provide clear data on the number of cancer cases in Zenica.
This is not the first time students in Sarajevo have taken to the streets, and organizers have vowed to continue protests until their demands are met. Some warned that Sarajevo’s Sirokaca neighbourhood could face a similar fate as Jablanica due to the looming threat of landslides, urging preventive measures before another disaster strikes.
Both protests saw growing crowds despite adverse weather conditions, reflecting widespread frustration with the authorities’ handling of economic and environmental crises in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
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