Emotional addresses and thunderous applause for Kemal Monteno

At the commemoration for Kemal Monteno at the National Theatre in Sarajevo, Ismeta Dervoz, Milan Stupar, Nikša Bratoš, Ivica Šarić and Miro Lazović addressed the audience. On the video wall, photographs from his life passed by, and the ensemble "Corone" played his great hits, reports the Bosnian news agency Patria.

With applause so strong that the National Theatre almost shook, Kemal Monteno was bid farewell. A giant of the music scene in Bosnia and Herzegovina, but also in the former Yugoslavia, with a very measured and dignified farewell, friends, relatives and numerous Sarajevans bid farewell to their Moket - Kemica, as they affectionately called him.

At the commemoration, fitting speeches were given first by Ismeta Dervoz, a close friend who, together with Alija Hafizović Hafa, created the lyrics for the song "Sarajevo ljubavi moja". She told those gathered that Alija Hafizović could not be there due to illness, but that he had sent word that he still remembers how Kemo called him and said "here is the music, you write the words".

- Simply, from your soul you turned everything into music, the city, love, rain, your loved ones. Thank you for everything you did for us. I will not say farewell words, but I will utter to you for the last time verses as a response to the letter to Arsen that you sent us in burning Sarajevo in 1992. "We will again, in the dead of night, through the downpour along Danijela Ozme Street..." - Ismeta Dervoz said through tears.

Particularly striking speeches were also given by Milan Stupar and Nikša Bratoš, while Dino Merlin and Zdravko Čolić shared their memories.

Dino Merlin said that this is the first time he has spoken at a commemoration, and when asked if he wanted to, he said yes because Kemo deserves it.

- Many memories connect me to Kemo, but I will share three that are very personal. The first was when I was 10 years old, there was an audition across from the Vijećnica and I sang the song "Dušo moja". Then a girl started looking at me differently, that was my first applause. My second memory is connected to Koševo. I heard, my dear Kemice, that Koševo Stadium is your second home. What could I do, to meet you, I joined FK Sarajevo, I loved football, but can you imagine how much I loved you when I did that just to meet you. And the third time, much, much later, it was a rainy, boring night at the Hotel Panorama, you suggested we play roulette, but I had never done that before, but that time I agreed. We lost money and then I thought, God, a man is always at a loss, but now I think I wasn't, because then I got time with Kemo. May your soul have mercy and eternal glory, our dear Kemo, said Merlin.

Čolić could not hide his tears and told those gathered how Kemo actually influenced the development of his career.

- I was a student when I got the song "Sinoć nisi bila tu" and when I won the festival for interpretation. From then on, my friendship with Kemo began, I was part of his family. And the new song "Gori vatra" sealed my career, and although we were distant for a time and had different views, we remained important to each other forever. And if I could choose a brother, besides my biological one, it would be Kemo - said Čola.

Kemo will be buried at 2:30 PM at the Bare Cemetery in the Alley of Greats.