Commemoration held on the occasion of Željko Kopanja's death

A commemoration was held in the Banski dvori in Banja Luka on the occasion of the death of the journalist and owner of Nezavisne novine and Glas Srpske, who died from the consequences of a heart attack on Monday at the age of 62, writes the BH news agency Patria.

The commemoration was attended by family members, friends, journalists, high political officials, diplomats, and numerous other figures from public life in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Milorad Dodik, President of Republika Srpska and SNSD, addressed the attendees, stating that he had lost a friend with whom he had rejoiced, argued, and most importantly, reconciled.

Sandra Gojković Arbutina, Editor-in-Chief of Nezavisne novine, said that Kopanja spoke of reconciliation when others were rattling their weapons.

- If no one else wants to write about dialogue, we will. All your efforts to bring together the irreconcilable had the same outcome: everyone sat at the table with Kopanja. We cannot come to terms with the fact that we are left without you when your vision entered its 20th year. You did not give up on us. We promise to nurture your vision even more persistently - said Gojković Arbutina.

Among those present were the Head of the OSCE Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Jonathan Moore, High Representative Valentin Inzko, US Ambassador to BiH Maureen Cormack, President of SBB BiH Fahrudin Radončić, President of the National Assembly of Republika Srpska Nedeljko Čubrilović, Igor Radojičić, Nebojša Radmanović, and ministers in the Government of Republika Srpska.

The funeral of Željko Kopanja will be held at the local cemetery in the Banja Luka settlement of Pavlovac, on Dušana i Vlade Kopanje Street, at 1 PM.