Lendo at the screening of the film 'Justice': Mostar is not just a city – Mostar is a symbol of the struggle for justice, equality, and survival

(Patria) - The Vice President of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Refik Lendo, attended the screening of the documentary film "Justice" and the promotion of the photo monograph "Heroes of Mostar" in Mostar tonight.

In his address to the attendees, Vice President Lendo emphasized the importance of documenting the truth about the defense-liberation war and honoring those who gave their lives for Mostar and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

"This photo monograph and documentary film represent an invaluable contribution to building a culture of remembrance and an obligation to future generations," emphasized Vice President Lendo.

Lendo pointed out that the court rulings of international and domestic courts are key to preserving the truth about war crimes, and recalled that the verdict of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia in the case of "Prlić and others" confirms the truth about the aggression and the joint criminal enterprise aimed against the citizens of Mostar.

"The verdict against Prlić and others did not only convict individuals but also the entire policy and ideology on which that policy is based. That verdict was a legal and civilizational reaction from the world, which verified historical facts to prevent their revision," emphasized Lendo.

He added that the defenders of Mostar did not only save the lives of fellow citizens who, based on their national, religious, ideological, or other affiliations, did not fit into the vision of the creators of the so-called Herceg-Bosna, nor did they only save Mostar and Bosnia and Herzegovina, but in the struggle for its preservation, they saved the honor of humanity and the brightest civilizational values.

"Two images bear witness to this. On one hand, we have the image of the political and military leadership of the so-called Herceg-Bosna as they receive a total of 111 years in prison for committed crimes. And on the other hand, we have the image of Semir Drljević Lovac proudly carrying the flag of Bosnia and Herzegovina at a military parade in Paris in 1995, on the occasion of Victory Day over Fascism, on behalf of you, on behalf of all of us. That image speaks about us, the character of our struggle, and the character of what we fought against," emphasized Lendo, and continued:

"Our struggle may have ended in a military sense, but it continues in the fight for truth, justice, and the preservation of the memory of our heroes. The documentary film 'Justice' and the photo monograph 'Heroes of Mostar' represent our weapons in that fight," emphasized Lendo.

He expressed special gratitude to the Center for Peace and Multietnic Cooperation of the City of Mostar, led by Mr. Safet Oručević, for their dedicated work in collecting archival material and establishing the Archive, thereby leading the fight for truth.

"Mostar is not just a city – Mostar is a symbol of the struggle for justice, equality, and survival. May this event remind us to cherish Mostar as an idea of resistance against hatred and divisions," concluded Vice President Lendo.

The screening of the documentary film "Justice" and the promotion of the photo monograph "Heroes of Mostar" were organized by the Center for Peace and Multietnic Cooperation Mostar, Museum and Memorial Mostar, and the Unified Veterans Organization of Herzegovina-Neretva Canton.