ZDK Government Continues to Preserve the Culture of Remembrance: Memorial to the Martyrs of Željezno Polje Unveiled

(Patria) - A delegation of the Government of Zenica-Doboj Canton, led by Prime Minister Nezir Pivić and Minister for Veterans' Affairs Adnan Sirovica, along with a delegation of the Assembly of Zenica-Doboj Canton, led by Speaker Ćazim Huskić and representative Fahrudin Čolaković, who is also a delegate in the House of Peoples of the Parliament of the Federation of BiH, attended the opening of the memorial to the martyrs of Željezno Polje at Velika Mahnjača near Žepče.

The memorial bears the engraved names of 68 martyrs from Željezno Polje who laid down their lives for the freedom of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

"I am pleased to be here today at this special place that is permanently inscribed in the history of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Be proud of who you are and of what the people of this region did for their homeland. Due to their modesty, they often do not speak of the significance they had in its defense. What Bosnians and Herzegovinians did in the 1990s and the way they defended their country is nothing short of a miracle. To defeat a military force that was among the strongest in Europe was achieved by people who were poorly armed but determined to defend their homes and their state. Few gave them a chance for success, but they succeeded because they fought with their hearts, because they defended their families, and because they have no backup homeland," said Prime Minister Nezir Pivić.

He stated that we must be proud of the honorable Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which neither took revenge nor committed crimes, but respected the Geneva Conventions and international humanitarian law.

He emphasized that the position of defenders is one of the most important priorities of the Government of Zenica-Doboj Canton and that the institutions of this canton, through numerous programs and projects, continuously provide support to the veteran population, from employment and housing, through veterans' allowances, medical treatment and student scholarships, to the construction of memorials, assistance to associations, and support for marking significant places and dates from the period of the defense of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

"The Ministry for Veterans' Affairs allocated more than 82,000 KM for the construction of this complex, and that is only a small part of what our fighters deserved while defending the only homeland we have. In this way, we pay tribute to our martyrs and fallen soldiers, and the construction of the memorial represents a moral obligation and a permanent reminder of the heroic defense of Bosnia and Herzegovina, but also a warning to future generations," said Minister Adnan Sirovica.

According to the minister, support was also provided for other places in Željezno Polje, so projects in Orčevići and Šahmani were also funded.

In the past three years, from the budget of the Ministry for Veterans' Affairs alone, about one million convertible marks have been allocated for the area of Željezno Polje through self-employment programs, housing, medical assistance, and other forms of support for the veteran population.