Empty chairs intended for government representatives at the commemoration for the victims of Jablanica

(Patria) - Exactly one year after the catastrophic tragedy in which 19 residents of Donja Jablanica and the village of Zlate lost their lives, a commemorative gathering was held at the site of the old railway station, organized by the informal citizens' association "4. oktobar".

Although invitations were sent to all relevant government representatives, by 2:00 PM - the scheduled start of the commemoration - only a few officials had arrived, including the former Minister of Defense of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sifet Podžić, writes N1.

Rows of empty chairs with signs reserved for institutions and political representatives stand as a silent symbol of the absence of those who should have been with the people.



Earlier today, a Commemorative Academy, organized by the Municipality of Jablanica, was held at the Museum "Battle for the Wounded on the Neretva River", attended by numerous citizens, families of the victims, representatives of the EU Delegation to BiH, UNDP, IOM, rescue services, and other organizations.

- A year has passed since an unprecedented tragedy that struck our Jablanica and our villages. We can never forget October 4th. Our village of Donja Jablanica will never be the same again - said Bakir Tufek, speaking on behalf of all the villagers.

On that occasion, he announced an initiative to officially declare October 4th as a Day of Mourning in the Municipality of Jablanica and expressed disappointment that, a year after the tragedy, no indictment has yet been filed.

A particularly emotional moment was the screening of a short film about the events of the night of the tragedy, during which the family members of the victims struggled to hide their tears and grief.



At the site of today's commemorative gathering, photographs of the victims were displayed, as well as symbolic messages in front of the railway tracks that were the immediate backdrop to the accident.

The silence, the empty chairs, and the gazes of the survivors spoke louder than any words – of pain, remembrance, but also of institutional neglect.

The association "4. oktobar" once again appealed to the judiciary and state institutions that injustice must not be forgotten and that those responsible must be identified.