Dina Merlin’s three concerts, held from July 30 to August 2 at the Koševo stadium, gathered around 200,000 visitors from Bosnia and Herzegovina, the region and the world, the KS Government announced.
“None of the three evenings recorded a more serious intervention by the emergency services, despite the fact that it was one of the biggest musical events in the city’s recent history,” it was stated.
The security and functioning of the city during the three concert nights was ensured by around 200 police officers of the Police Department of the MUP of Sarajevo Canton every night, while the Institute for Emergency Medical Assistance hired 15 teams, i.e. a total of 45 health workers. KJKP Park, KJKP RAD, GRAS and the Professional Fire Brigade ensured that the city functioned smoothly despite the large number of visitors.
“Behind every concert that citizens see is the enormous work of hundreds of people. Police officers, health workers, firefighters and employees of communal companies and public transport worked for days to make Sarajevo safe, clean and functional for its citizens and guests,” said the Prime Minister of Sarajevo Canton Nihad Uk.
The scale of the event is also confirmed by data from the Booking.com platform: for the days of the concerts, from July 30 to August 3, as many as 99 percent of accommodation facilities in Sarajevo were unavailable for booking, and of the only nine remaining vacant facilities, the majority belonged to the more expensive, luxury segment of the offer.
In addition to the direct economic effect on accommodation facilities, restaurants and public transport, such events also strengthen the international visibility of the city: photos and videos from Sarajevo concerts are circulating in the regional media and social networks these days.
“Our goal is for Sarajevo to be the cultural center of the region, a city that people come to because of its excellent facilities and to which people return. This is the result of a clear policy of investing in culture, tourism and creative industries, and investing in culture means investing in development, new jobs and the international reputation of Bosnia and Herzegovina,” said Prime Minister Uk.
Uk congratulated Dina Merlin, whom he considers the biggest musical star of the region, on his exceptional success, and thanked all the institutions, public companies and services that made it possible for the three concert nights to pass safely and organized.
The next big concert event in the city follows in ten days, when Sarajevo welcomes the cult British band The Prodigy.
