New Year's greeting removed in Bužim, will restaurants for New Year's Eve be cancelled?

(Patria) - The authorities of the municipality of Bužim, led by Mayor Mersudin Nanić, removed a billboard greeting during the night, which conveyed New Year's and Christmas greetings to citizens. The greeting was paid for by the Prime Minister of the Una-Sana Canton, Mustafa Ružnić, and the Speaker of the USK Assembly, Razim Halkić.

During yesterday, the Bužim SDA reacted and demanded that this billboard be removed. Mayor Nanić also made a statement but deleted his post after receiving numerous criticisms. Social networks were buzzing with comments, and some residents of Bužim announced that they would remove the billboard themselves if the local authorities did not. During the night, the billboard was taken down and the BiH flag was put up.

The SDA Bužim claims that the Christmas and New Year's greeting was a "provocation to a purely Bosniak environment" and expressed fears that "straw and manger" might appear next year.

The news about the removal of the billboard was also reported by regional media, especially from neighboring Croatia, whose citizens very often come to Krajina to buy groceries that are cheaper than in Croatia. Whether this attitude will affect future visits will be seen by the residents of Bužim very soon.

In numerous comments on social networks, citizens are asking if the New Year's celebration in fully booked restaurants will also be banned if these holidays are not celebrated.

The Croatian National Assembly of BiH (HNS BiH) assessed on Tuesday that the mayor's message is the best indicator of how the SDA views a 'modern and civic' state of BiH.

"Such reactions are living proof and an example of the 'modern and civic' state as the SDA apparently envisions it. This is probably the example of equality and sovereignty with which they should approach the EU, and the Christmas greeting is an insult," stated the Croatian National Assembly, which brings together Croatian parties in BiH.

They expect the SDA and Mayor Nanić to apologize for this shameful outburst.

"Not to Catholics or any Croat, but to all normal people in Bosnia and Herzegovina, regardless of which constituent nation or confession they belong to," stated HNS BiH.