Vojislav Petrović (83), the last resident of the village of Kratine near Busovača, has died

Vojislav Petrović, an 83-year-old elderly man, the last resident of the village of Kratine near Busovača, passed away yesterday, writes the BH news agency Patria (NAP).

Since the Serbian aggression against Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1992, Petrović was the only resident of Kratine. Although Orthodox, he decided not to leave his village, which was under the control of the Croatian Defence Council (HVO), even during the fiercest war conflicts.

- I could have left if I wanted to, but I never even thought about it – Petrović often said.

- During that period, HVO soldiers provided me with food for ten months, three meals a day. What they had, I had too.

He lived in a house that was only a year younger than him, built from mud and wicker. However, that didn't stop him from always smiling. He said that his cheerful nature and avoidance of stress helped him reach old age in good health.

Journalists Srećko Stipović and Alojz Mlakić were among the last to interview Petrović in April this year. You can watch a short video here.