A tribute was paid to the late Alija Izetbegovic, the first President of the Presidency of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina on Saturday, at the Kovaci Martyrs' Cemetery. The ceremony included laying flowers and reciting prayers, as well as a moment of silence in memory of all martyrs and fallen soldiers of the Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina (RBiH).

Numerous delegations attended the event, along with two individuals, Senad Mujkic (62) and Enes Djelilovic (59), who walked from Vitez to Sarajevo to pay their respects to Izetbegovic. Among those laying flowers were delegations from the offices of the current members of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Denis Becirovic and Zeljko Komsic, as well as Bakir Izetbegovic, the leader of the Democratic Action Party (SDA) party and son of Alija Izetbegovic. Other delegations from various government bodies, organizations, and associations were also present.

During the event, Safet Softic, an SDA delegate in the Bosniak Caucus, reflected on Izetbegovic’s legacy, stating that even 21 years after his passing, Bosnia and Herzegovina still bears the marks of his leadership, although the country has faced both progress and setbacks.

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Alija Izetbegovic was born on August 8, 1925, in Bosanski Samac, into a prominent family that later moved to Sarajevo. A prolific writer and thinker, he authored numerous works, including “Islam Between East and West” and “The Islamic Declaration”, which have been translated into multiple languages.

Izetbegovic received various international honours, such as the King Faisal Award, and was named “Person of the Year” in 1995 by Madrid's “El Mundo.” His funeral in Sarajevo in 2003 drew over 100,000 mourners, including many dignitaries, marking it as one of the largest funerals ever held in the city.