Turk paints shop on Baščaršija blue, must restore to original state

SARAJEVO, (Patria) - The Municipality of Stari Grad reacted after citizens reported that one of the shops on Baščaršija was painted blue, thereby disrupting the appearance of the very core of Baščaršija. 

"Inspectors of the Department for General Administration and Inspection Affairs of the Municipality of Stari Grad Sarajevo this morning initiated misdemeanour proceedings against the person Turk Atila – a Turkish national who is the lessee of the business premises at Abadžiluk Street number 10, due to carrying out unauthorised works of painting the business premises in bright blue colour, which seriously disrupted the appearance of the old town bazaar that was declared a national monument of Bosnia and Herzegovina back in 2014. According to information from the Department for General Administration and Inspection Affairs of the Municipality of Stari Grad Sarajevo, inspectors went to the field early this morning but found no one on site, and left a notice for urgent contact with the competent inspector. Subsequently, the above-mentioned person, a Turkish national, contacted the inspector, and was ordered to restore the portal to its original state within 24 hours and repaint it in an appropriate colour.

The Municipality of Stari Grad emphasises that this is not a premises owned by this administrative body, but it has been established that the owners of the premises are Džido Senada and Šemsudin Zahirović, against whom misdemeanour proceedings will also be initiated due to such desecration of the innermost old town core, and they will face sanctions for illegal actions. The Municipality of Stari Grad Sarajevo, led by Mayor Mr. Ibrahim Hadžibajrić, strongly condemns this and all similar attempts to disrupt the appearance of the old town core as a protected national monument, and warns ill-intentioned and irresponsible individuals that such attempts will not be tolerated. Also, the Municipality thanks well-intentioned and socially responsible citizens who immediately reacted and, after the painting of the premises, notified the competent services and sent photographs from the scene. Through joint action in suppressing such irregularities, we will achieve a more beautiful, more orderly and higher quality appearance of
Baščaršija, as well as the rest of Stari Grad", the Municipality stated.