Srebrenica Assembly adopts decision on changing street names, Bosniak Caucus leaves session

(Patria) - The Srebrenica Assembly today adopted, according to many, controversial proposals on changing street names in this city.

This agenda item was adopted with 14 votes FOR.

As reported by N1 reporter, certain representatives had previously left the session, and the most controversial for them is naming a street after Goran Zekić, and abolishing the name of Tito Street. According to the new proposal, Marshal Tito Street will henceforth be named Republika Srpska Street.

Among the controversial ones is also the designation of a new name, Srpska Square, for the former "Mihajlo Bjelaković Square", then the new name "Major Kosta Todorović Park" for the former name "Srebrenica City Park", and Dubrovačka Street could be replaced with the former name Reuf Selmanagić Crni.

Mladen Grujičić, Mayor of Srebrenica Municipality, said in a statement to the media earlier that he believes one name could cause dissatisfaction.

“I forgot the names of those streets, because there are really many of them. But, what might eventually bother someone… is Republika Srpska Street. That would be the name of the main street which is currently called Marshal Tito Street,” said Grujičić.

The names are more or less agreed upon, said Grujičić, adding that members from the Bosniak people did not participate in the selection, “due to pressure and boycott”.

Given that this item was on the agenda, it is very likely that the decision on changing street names will be voted on, as the Serb councilors have a majority. Earlier, the item on changing street names was removed from the agenda of the Srebrenica Municipality Assembly session scheduled for February 29.

There are about twenty streets in Srebrenica. Most of them were named in the mid-20th century and remained in effect until 1996, when the Municipal Assembly, composed of councilors of Serb nationality, decided to change all street names. By the decision of the new parliamentary majority, which also included Bosniaks, the old street names were reinstated in 2002.

The Bosniak Caucus left the Srebrenica Assembly session after their proposal to remove the item concerning the change of street names from the agenda was rejected, N1 reports.