Sarajevo Canton and City officials pay tribute to civilians killed at Kazani site

During 1992 and 1993, soldiers who had refused to come under the command of the General Staff of the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina brought civilians to the site and killed them before throwing their bodies into a pit. In 1996, 14 former Army of RBiH soldiers were sentenced to prison terms ranging from 10 months to six years for these war crimes.

Prime Minister Uk emphasized the importance of paying tribute to all innocent civilians killed and noted that domestic authorities had independently arrested and prosecuted those responsible for the crimes at Kazani.

"Today, we pay tribute to the citizens of Sarajevo who were killed. Kazani is a shadow cast over the heroic defense of our city and Bosnia and Herzegovina. However, the institutions of BiH have shown that we are not all the same, starting with the fact that the crimes at Kazani were investigated, those responsible were prosecuted and convicted, and today we have an official institutional commemoration of the killing of innocent citizens of Sarajevo," the cantonal prime minister said.

Representatives of the City of Sarajevo also paid tribute to the innocent victims as the city marked November 9, the Day of Remembrance for the victims.

A city delegation laid flowers at the memorial at the Kazani site.

Mayor Samir Avdic said on the occasion that preserving the culture of remembrance is a lasting obligation of society and an important foundation for building a future in which human life, dignity and diversity are respected. City Council Speaker Alen Girt also joined the mayor at Kazani.

"We preserve the truth and nurture the culture of remembrance not only for those who lost their lives and their families, but also for generations to come. We must pass on to young people an awareness of the importance of respecting every person, understanding and accepting diversity. By paying tribute to the victims, we want to build a society in which peace, unity and mutual respect are the values that bring us together. This is the path we must follow and a responsibility we all share," Avdic said.

According to Avdic, the City of Sarajevo remains committed to promoting democratic values, tolerance and a culture of dialogue, while sending a clear message that all victims must be duly respected and commemorated with dignity.