Hundreds of people mark Independence Day and present projects of the Old Town Municipality

SARAJevo, (Patria) - With a ceremonial program on the multi-purpose square, opposite the City Hall, one of the most significant dates in BiH history was marked - March 1st, and four capital projects worth over 13 million marks, realized in the Old Town Municipality, were officially presented.

A promotional film at the beginning of the event showcased the construction of a sports hall for Primary School "Edhem Mulabdić", the reconstruction of the Municipality's administrative headquarters, the reconstruction of the Old Town Health Center, and the construction of the first public underground garage in Sarajevo, which has a multi-purpose square on an area of almost 3,000m2.

It was precisely on this square that the ceremonial program was held for the first time, attended by several hundred citizens. By unveiling a plaque with the names of investors and creditors, the underground garage officially began its operation on the square, and the plaque was unveiled by the Mayor of the Municipality, Mr. Ibrahim Hadžibajrić, representatives of the Saudi Fund for Development, Mr. Abdullah Alromeih, Eng. Sulaiman Alwetaid, and Eng. Bandar Alharbi, as well as the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to BiH, Hani Abdullah M. Mominah.

The Mayor of the Municipality, Ibrahim Hadžibajrić, emphasized that these are projects that will serve the citizens and that this was the primary goal when it was decided to proceed with their construction, especially the reconstruction of the Health Center, where citizens will experience the most benefits with new, improved services. He also expressed his happiness that Independence Day of BiH was celebrated in such a way today.

"This is one of the ways to mark Independence Day of BiH, to move away from stereotypes and to restore hope, spirit, and something positive to people with such examples, to provide citizens with projects that lead to new employment and the retention of young people in Bosnia and Herzegovina. I believe that this is the best way to mark the Independence Day of a country like BiH," said Mayor Hadžibajrić.

"Certain funds remaining from these four projects, around 800,000 KM, will be used for equipping and completing the equipment in the Old Town Health Center. This is the best example that we love our country, that we love Bosnia and Herzegovina," said Mayor Hadžibajrić.

Projects completed in ten months The construction of these four projects began on March 25th last year and was completed in ten months, while the sports hall was built in just six months and started operating in October last year. The implementation of the projects was closely monitored by creditors from the Saudi Fund for Development, who approved loan funds in the amount of 13.3 million KM to the Old Town Municipality of Sarajevo for these constructions.

The speed of implementation was precisely what pleasantly surprised the creditors from Saudi Arabia.

"We are very happy to have reached the day of the opening of four capital projects of the Old Town Municipality, as these projects will help the citizens and contribute to the overall progress of the city of Sarajevo. I would especially like to thank Mayor Ibrahim Hadžibajrić and his team for the incredible speed of the work they have done," stated Abdullah Alromeih, representative of the Fund.

He added that this Fund has been implementing projects in BiH for over 20 years. "The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Saudi Fund for Development have so far financed projects in ten locations in BiH with 153 million US dollars in the segments of education, healthcare, schooling, and culture. We have also provided grants to the people of BiH in the amount of 53 million US dollars, which have been invested in libraries and universities," said Alromeih.

Dalila Karamehmedović, a student from Primary School "Šejh Muhamed efendija Hadžijamaković", also performed at the ceremonial program, who, through the recital "The Most Beautiful Place", conveyed why students love their municipality and how they see it.

Academician Prof. Dr. Ejup Ganić, a wartime member of the Presidency of RBiH, also addressed the attendees with a speech.

"The atmosphere is magnificent seeing you here today in this square, which at night resembles the most beautiful European squares. It used to be difficult, we watched books about our history and our past being burned across the way, but today that has changed. Today, books from a month ago are being written there, the archives of the Hague Tribunal are there, from which the history of these areas will be drawn and the magnificent history of Bosnia and Herzegovina will be written. There will be talk of your fathers, your sons, your neighbors who defended this country when, as the people say, 'the land was hard, and the sky was high'" - said, among other things, Academician Ganić, who congratulated Mayor Hadžibajrić on the presented projects.

"I especially mention the one who was there when Bosnia and Herzegovina needed to be defended, and is here today to build it, and that is Mayor Hadžibajrić," said Prof. Ganić.

Two coppersmiths from Baščaršija, who even have the same name, Ismet Huseinović, on behalf of their guild, presented Mayor Hadžibajrić and guests from Saudi Arabia with a copper-forged Oath of Allegiance and an underground garage with a multi-purpose square, as a memento of this day.

In the entertainment part of the program, guests were entertained by KUD Baščaršija and Hanka Paldum, and at the end of the event, numerous citizens were treated to delicacies and specialties prepared by businessmen from the Old Town and the entire Sarajevo.

The Old Town Municipality thanks the business entities that participated in this project: Coca Cola BiH, Vispak, Slatki butik BADEM, Restoran Chipas, Pekara Poričanin, Kafe-pekara Mrvica, Ćevabdžinica Dženita, Ćevabdžinica Zmaj, Restoran Slatko&slano, Ibes, Hoše komerc, Buregdžinica Bosna, Slastičarna Sarajbosna, Aščinica ASDž, Pekara Mahir, Pekara Edin, Pekara Memović Bistrik, Slastičarna Vijećnica, Slastičarna Jasmin, Telal d.o.o, and Skuter d.o.o.