Abolition of April 6 as Sarajevo Day is an unacceptable revision that the SDP will oppose

SARAJEVO, (Patria) - The Cantonal Committee of the SDP BiH Sarajevo calls on citizens and political entities participating in the City Council of the City of Sarajevo to oppose the intention of the SDA and its mayor Abdulah Skaka to abolish April 6 as Sarajevo City Day, the party announced.

"The absurd initiative of the SDA and Skaka aims to introduce a new City Day fictitiously presented as the day of the city's founding, linked to the publication of the waqfname of Isa-beg Ishaković. Besides the fact that, as historians warn, the day of Sarajevo's founding as a settlement cannot be linked to an exact date, nor even to the waqfname itself, this would completely devalue, minimize and humiliate the being and spirit of Sarajevo, best reflected in the bright events associated with April 6," said the Social Democratic Party of BiH.

They remind "the citizens of Sarajevo and Abdulah Skaka that two crucial events are tied to the celebration of the current Sarajevo Day. Namely, the date is linked to the initiation of resistance and the double victory of the citizens of Sarajevo over fascist forces, once during World War II, and the second time through resistance to the aggressor on Bosnia and Herzegovina."

"We understand that for Abdulah Skaka, as a declared fighter against anti-fascism, this date is a thorn in his side, and that the double anti-fascist resistance and victory of the citizens of Sarajevo are not close to him. However, abolishing Sarajevo City Day associated with these two important dates would not represent just another in a series of public shames for Abdulah Skaka, but a disgrace for the entire city. Citizens and councilors must not allow their proudest moments of double resistance to fascist evil to be pushed into oblivion due to the SDA's condescension and tireless pandering to Erdogan and their desire to link Sarajevo City Day in any way with Ottoman history. We emphasize that the Cantonal Committee of the SDP BiH respects the character and work of Isa-beg Ishaković as undoubtedly one of the most significant figures in the history of Sarajevo. Likewise, we have no doubt that the new initiative of the SDA and Skaka has no substantive connection either with Ishaković or with the citizens of Sarajevo, but rather with sheer populism and the private interests of individuals from the SDA who do not shy away even from annulling the identity of the city and its being
depicted in April 6, all in order to curry favor with their modern-day sultan," the statement said.

The Social Democratic Party will, they say, resolutely oppose the intention to revise the historical memory of the citizens of Sarajevo and their humiliation, and we also call on all other political entities, intellectuals and citizens of Sarajevo to do the same.