Politics will not drive Commander Zaim out of Goražde again, he will finally get a monument

The shameful fact that in the City of Goražde, 25 years after the war, no monument has been erected to the legendary wartime commander Zaim Imamović will soon be rectified. His son, Ernest Imamović, had to become mayor for this to happen.

- Unfortunately, the politics that drove Zaim out of Goražde, but did not kill his love for this city and its people, as well as those who presented themselves as false friends, have been misusing his image and work for years with talk of a monument that probably should never have been built. Since I am his son, I considered it important that not a single mark from the city administration's budget should be spent on this project, and the monument will be built, Mayor Imamović told Patria.

Thanks to the understanding of the Mayor of Trnovo, Ibri Berilo, funds in the amount of 84,000 KM have been secured for the construction of the monument. The Mayor of Goražde decided to abandon the original project worth around 500,000 marks. The new monument project was designed free of charge by the design bureau Aring d.o.o. Goražde, whose owner Haris Šalo is also a martyr's son.

- According to experts, the initial project that was prepared and for which a building permit was issued is not aesthetically suitable for the location where it is situated and would disrupt the green area and destroy the trees currently there. In other words, the concretization of Goražde would continue. The city administration will revoke this building permit and turn to a new solution, said Imamović.

The construction of the monument to Zaim Imamović has been the subject of political bickering on social networks in recent days. The Mayor and councilors of NIP criticized the cantonal government for not accepting an amendment that would have secured 200,000 KM for these purposes. The Minister for Veterans' Affairs in the BPK Goražde Government, Edin Aganović, believes the criticism is unjustified.

- I was surprised by the mayor's stance. We had a cordial relationship and an agreement to present the new project together. The amendment was politicking, and the proposers did not even bother to propose a budget item from which to secure those funds. On the other hand, there was no need for this amendment because, after an agreement with the mayor, we secured the necessary funds in the Ministry's budget, emphasized Aganović.

The Prime Minister of BPK Goražde, Aida Obuća, also reacted, claiming that individuals dissatisfied due to losing their positions are trying to settle scores with the cantonal government through the monument.

- Turncoats who recently praised the BPK Government and attacked their current bosses for accusations of 'using budget money for campaigns' and 'participating in aggression against Goražde,' immediately after being dismissed due to malversations, are treating their frustrations with lies in an attempt to halt the canton's development, stated Obuća.

The BPK Goražde Government reminded that the priority was placed on completing the Central Memorial with the names of all fallen defenders.

Citizens of Goražde consider it inappropriate to try to gain political points through the monument. They find it absurd that the foundation stone for the monument to Zaim Imamović was laid three years ago, and no funds were planned for its construction afterward.

The story of the construction of this monument is much older and is proof of the populism of all political parties. Part of the current opposition in the canton missed an opportunity almost ten years ago to prove their commitment to honoring the glorious commander in an appropriate manner. Even then, a project solution was on the table, but the final decision was delayed, and previous city administrations did not show much more interest. If the government and the opposition were sincere, they could have gentlemanly resolved the dispute over increasing deputies' fees through the monument, foregoing the increase in favor of completing both memorials.

- My stance is that such and similar matters should have been resolved by the year 2000, and today we should be dealing with prosperity and improving the living conditions of citizens, said Imamović.

Individual veterans' associations have also faltered in the construction of the monument to hero Zaim Imamović. Personal egos of certain commanders have revived controversies that have existed since the war regarding the attitude towards Zaim Imamović, which Mayor Imamović alluded to at the beginning of this text. Some of them never liked the idea of Commander Zaim Imamović getting a monument in the city and wanted him moved to the suburban settlement of Osanica, where the 1st Drina Brigade, which he commanded, operated.

The commander who died dreaming of freedom on the Drina deserves to be treated with more respect in BPK Goražde. If his death remained shrouded in mystery, as it was speculated during the war that he was not favored by the then authorities in Goražde and Sarajevo, he should not have been attempted to be killed again years after his death. Zaim deserved a monument in the city he loved immensely, as he proved with his stubborn desire to break the encirclement he was in throughout the war, for which he also laid down his life. The monument will finally be built, and the legend of the great commander and man will continue to live on.