City Announces Čolić Concert at BiH Square, Parliament Unaware and Has Not Given Consent!

SARAJevo, (Patria) - December 31st is approaching, when Sarajevo will host a large number of tourists who wish to welcome the year 2018 in the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Organizers of the New Year's Eve celebration, the City Administration, Sarajevo Canton, and the Sarajevo Canton Tourist Board, have been announcing a concert by regional star Zdravko Čolić for a long time, and at the BiH Square, in front of the Parliament of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

This is stated on billboards, video materials, and in electronic media, from where they have been inviting people to Zdravko Čolić's performance for days.

The mention of this location has caused confusion because BiH Square is actually the plateau in front of the Parliamentary Assembly of BiH, and it is the only building at that address. Last year's New Year's Eve concert by Dino Merlin was held at that location.

Neither the Joint Service of the Secretariat of the Parliamentary Assembly of BiH, which is responsible for issuing permits for events at BiH Square, knows about the New Year's Eve Čolić concert in front of the BiH Parliament building.

The Secretary of the Service, Kenan Vehabović, confirmed for Patria that they have not received any request to use the plateau in front of the PA BiH.

- I do not have any request yet. It was different last year. What I can say at this moment is that we in the Joint Service of the PA BiH Secretariat are not aware of any concert. This means that no person is allowed to step onto the plateau in front of the building. We will request increased control from the Directorate for Coordination of Police Bodies, i.e., physical and technical protection of the BiH Parliament buildings – says Vehabović, adding that at this moment there is no consent for the use of the plateau.

Zdravko Čolić's concert on New Year's Eve was initially announced in front of the Eternal Flame. The office of the Mayor of Sarajevo, Abdulah Skaka, announced that the location had been changed and that Čolić would usher in the New Year 2018 for the people of Sarajevo, as well as numerous guests from around the world, with a performance in front of the shopping center located across from the Parliamentary Assembly of BiH. The only explanation for the incorrect address being mentioned in the promotional material for the Sarajevo New Year's Eve concert is that the officials from the City Administration do not know that the address is the plateau in front of the SCC shopping center, Vrbanja 1a, and not BiH Square.

The Service for Joint Affairs of BiH Institutions has been informed about this concert, unlike the Joint Service of the PA BiH Secretariat, it has been confirmed for NAP. Electricity for the New Year's Eve concert will be used from the BiH Parliament building itself.