The public enterprise BH Post has announced a public call for the sale of an armored passenger vehicle, a BMW 534 I, produced in 1997, with a starting price of 50.000 BAM. The car is being sold through an auction, and, as stated in the announcement, it is not in drivable condition.
According to the information from the public call, it is a vehicle with an engine displacement of 3982 cubic cm and a power of 210 kW, running on gasoline and having traveled 54.778 kilometers. The car is black and, as noted, comes with extremely rich equipment, from leather seats, automatic climate control, all-wheel drive, to bulletproof glass and an armored body type WSA, 10/SD.
At first glance, it appears to be just another official vehicle that has lost its practical value. However, this car carries special historical weight, as it was used by Alija Izetbegovic, the first Chairman of the Presidency of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina (RBiH).
Many consider such a move inappropriate and disrespectful toward the state’s heritage, arguing that the vehicle should be preserved as part of a museum exhibit or a state collection.
The BH Post announcement itself states that both legal entities and individuals have the right to participate if, by the auction deadline, they pay a deposit of 10 percent of the starting price. Interested buyers can view the vehicle at the parking lot of the General Directorate of BH Post, at Obala Kulina bana 8 in Sarajevo, on weekdays until October 30th, 2025, with prior notice.
Although BH Post formally acted in accordance with procedures, the question arises whether it is morally and socially justified to sell a vehicle that had symbolic and statesmanlike value.
In countries in the region, and especially in states with a longer tradition of respecting historical heritage, cars that belonged to former presidents, kings, or important figures usually take their place in museums, state residences, or archives.
In this case, it seems that the state has shown not even the minimum sensitivity toward its own past. Instead of preserving the car as a witness to a difficult but important period in the history of BiH, it has been reduced to a mere property item, goods to be sold to the highest bidder, Klix.ba writes.
