A hundred more metres of the reconstructed tube of Sarajevo's iconic Tunnel of Hope was officially opened for visits on Thursday as a part of the 30th anniversary of the start of Sarajevo siege.

“The tunnel as an entry to Sarajevo and the way out of it represents one of very important links and marks of the history of Bosnia and Herzegovina,” said head of the Sarajevo Canton Memorial Fund Ahmed Kulanic, speaking at the opening ceremony.

The project means a contribution to the cultural-historic heritage of Bosnia and Herzegovina as well as the permanent witness of the period of the aggression on Bosnia and Herzegovina, he added.

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Kulanic also recalled that the tunnel was a “source of life” for Sarajevo under siege.

Speaker of the Sarajevo Canton Assembly Elvedin Okeric also addressed the ceremony, noting that the tunnel played one of the most important roles in the war, during the 1,445-day long siege, helping the Sarajevans to keep the contact with outer world.

The ceremonial opening of the 100-meter reconstructed tunnel tube was symbolically held during the days when Sarajevo residents remember the beginning of the siege of the city that began 30 years ago. Tunnel of Hope played a significant role in the defense of Sarajevo and the salvation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and at the same time was one of the decisive factors in the survival of citizens surrounded by 65 kilometers of enemy hoops.

The tunnel was dug on July 30, 1993, giving Sarajevo its only entrance and exit from the city.