A Hilarious Night with Laka, Hanka, and Mirza

The City of Sarajevo will organize a public New Year's Eve celebration outdoors for the 14th consecutive year, along with its partners: the municipalities of Stari Grad, Centar, Novo Sarajevo, Novi Grad, the Canton of Sarajevo, and the Tourist Association of KS. Of course, we also have the support of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of KS, media sponsors, and sponsors in the realization of this project. We will welcome the New Year 2015, under the slogan 'Sarajevo's Hilarious Night,' at the Square of Sarajevo Children, on the plateau in front of the BBI Center,” stated Mayor Prof. Dr. Ivo Komšić at today's press conference, reports the Patria News Agency. 

Admittedly, there were dilemmas as to whether the celebration would take place, given that the City of Sarajevo found itself in a difficult financial situation.

- However, I am sure that even in this situation, we have the support of our citizens as always, and we could not and did not want to disappoint them, Komšić emphasized.

The upcoming New Year's Eve celebration in Sarajevo will feature numerous BiH artists. According to Felkis Mušović, marketing director of Radio 8, which produces and broadcasts the New Year's Eve program, the program consists of three parts.

The first part starts at 12 PM and will last until 4 PM, when Santa Claus from Radio 8 will distribute sweets with surprise performances in every part of the city: from Baščaršija, through Ferhadija, to Novi Grad. The most famous Sarajevo street dancer, Suvad Veletanlić, will also entertain all those who visit our capital.

In the municipality of Stari Grad, at Trg oslobođenja - Alije Izetbegovića, this children's program will take place from 12 PM to 1 PM, in Centar at Trg djece Sarajeva – BBI Center plateau from 1 PM to 2 PM, in the municipality of Novo Sarajevo at Trg heroja from 2 PM to 3 PM, and in Novi Grad from 3 PM to 4 PM in Dobrinja (near the fountain).

At 6 PM, the second part of the program for teenagers begins at the Square of Sarajevo Children, on the plateau in front of the BBI Center. The Sarajevo Children and Youth Choir “Princess krofne” and the Mladen Pozajić Junior Ballet Music School, along with Lejla Čaušević, Naida Ćatić, Haris Ćato, Tarik Mulaomerović, and Ajša Kapetanović, will create an excellent overture before the central part of the program, which begins at 8:30 PM.

The ensemble “Kabaret” by Alma Ferović will warm up the atmosphere, followed by Pochko & New Primitives, a band dedicated to the cult movement that emerged in Sarajevo in the 1980s.

Mirza Šoljanin and his band will complete New Year's Eve with their interpretations of pop-rock songs and sevdalinka. In the hilarious New Year's Eve in front of the BBI Center, the queen of sevdah, Hanka Paldum, will also sing, and along with sevdah, she will entertain all attendees with her well-known hits.

Sarajevo residents will be led into the New Year by Laka and his sister Mirela, a duo that has been successfully entertaining the entire region.

-We have a new song, we will play old songs too. I hope we will clap to warm up our palms,” said Laka, who attended today's press conference.

Exactly at midnight, there will be a fireworks display from the Feroelektro building and in Mojmilo, after which the Mayor of Sarajevo, Ivo Komšić, will deliver a New Year's greeting, together on stage with the program performers and partners in organizing this event. The New Year's 2015 celebration will be rounded off by DJ Benjo with his performance until 2 AM.

TV Sarajevo and Radio 8 will broadcast live, and all radio stations and TV houses that wish to do so will be able to take the signal.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs of KS will ensure security on the craziest night. The head of the Public Relations Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of KS, Irfan Nefić, pointed out that the Ministry has already launched a campaign called “Safe for You and Others Without Firecrackers.”

“Leaflets are being distributed, and we are holding lectures in schools about the dangers and harm of using pyrotechnic devices, as they are used near public buildings, which disrupts public order and peace, and the number of injured persons has been recorded,” warned Nefić.

Otherwise, according to the Law on Offenses Against Public Order and Peace of KS, the sale, purchase, and use of pyrotechnic devices are punishable by a fine of 300 to 900 KM, and for parents of minors, by a fine of 400 to 1,200 KM.

“When we talk about security for the celebration, there will be an increased number of police officers, so that we have as few complaints as possible. We want to enable citizens and guests of the city to safely welcome the New Year,” said Nefić.

Rialda Jarkoč Memišević, editor at Radio 8, also announced the New Year's program for children without parental care, in a state of social need, and children with special needs, which the City of Sarajevo will implement together with this media house. 

-This year, the City has provided 1,037 gift packages. This involves the distribution of gift packages and the play “From Pacifier to School,” which will be held on Wednesday, December 24, at the International Center for Children and Youth Novo Sarajevo in three sessions: at 10 AM, 12 PM, and 2 PM,” stated Rialda Jarkoč Memišević.

Mayor Komšić and all those present at today's press conference invited the people of Sarajevo and everyone else, from all over Bosnia and Herzegovina and the region, to come to the joint celebration and welcome the New Year 2015 at the Square of Sarajevo Children – in front of the BBI Center.