After the Tragedy in Dobrinja: What Sarajevo Citizens Were Told by Mayor Semir Efendić

Following the tragedy that occurred in Dobrinja, where 12-year-old Salih Pačariz was fatally injured on a playground, the mayor of Sarajevo's Novi Grad municipality, Semir Efendić, also addressed the public on his Facebook profile. The boy was killed by a goalpost structure that was not fixed to the playground, and numerous citizens of Sarajevo have been expressing their discontent since Sunday, demanding accountability from the responsible municipal authorities.

The Patria News Agency publishes his comment in full, without corrections.

-Two days ago, on a playground in Dobrinja, a 12-year-old boy, Salih Pačariz, tragically lost his life. Today, his funeral prayer was held, and I pray to Allah Almighty to grant him a beautiful Paradise, and to his family patience in these difficult moments.

I am sorry that some parties and internet portals are trying to use this tragic event for personal discrediting of me as mayor and for political score-settling, without taking into account the indisputable facts. And the fact is that more than a hundred playgrounds in the Sarajevo Canton lack adequate protection or maintenance. Likewise, a significant number of playgrounds within residential areas and school facilities have goalposts that are not fixed to the ground and which, under certain circumstances, can cause an accident.

The fact that the municipality repaired the fence and installed artificial grass on this playground some time ago certainly did not reduce the safety of its use, but quite the opposite. Also, the municipal company Lokom, which manages the nearby sports hall, tried to maintain this playground as well, although it was neither its obligation nor its jurisdiction, but it did not succeed because citizens disputed Lokom's right to manage this playground, which is a public area, and the devastation of the playground, especially during the night hours, could not be prevented.

Today, we held a meeting with representatives of KJKP Park, where it was agreed that starting tomorrow, all playgrounds in the territory of the Novi Grad municipality will be thoroughly inspected, and those where goalposts are not fixed will be secured to the ground or completely removed until further notice, and that other equipment that could be dangerous will also be removed. Also, in the coming days, we will request a meeting with all competent institutions of the Sarajevo Canton, the City of Sarajevo, and other municipalities in order to find a systemic solution for the efficient maintenance of public areas, which, due to divided jurisdictions, the objective lack of capacity of public companies to maintain public areas properly, and the enormous devastation of all facilities that are not under constant supervision, represent a problem for all municipalities and citizens in the Sarajevo Canton.

Although I was informed yesterday by representatives of the Third Police Administration that the event from Sunday is being treated as an accident, I support all further activities that the competent authorities will undertake regarding the determination of any possible personal or institutional responsibility, Efendić wrote.