Fighting between the Yugoslav People’s Army (JNA) and Territorial Defense (TO) on Skenderija. Trams set on fire on Skenderija, as well as the Main Post Office. Titova Street bombed, hundreds of citizens on the streets when the attack commenced.
Upon the return from peace negotiations in Lisbon, President of the Presidency of BiH ALija Izetbegović, his daughter, translator Sabina Berberović and Deputy Prime Minister Zlatko Lagumdžija arrested at the Sarajevo International Airport and taken to Lukavica, in the time of the fierce fights around the Presidency of BiH.
From the surrounded Command, JNA General Milutin Kukanjac made an offer that he and his soldiers get away in exchange for Izetbegović. In dramatic negotiations led between members of the BiH Presidency Ejup Ganić and Stjepan Kljujić and the generals of JNA led by Vojislav Đurđevac, exchange principles agreed. Negotiations broadcasted live on RTV BiH.
These are the events that marked the May 2, 1992.
Beginning of May in 1992 will remain well-remembered by all people of Sarajevo. Attempt of the special units of the former Yugoslav army to take over the building of the Presidency of BiH culminated on Skenderija, where they were stopped by the Special Unit of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Territorial Defense of BiH, consisted of citizens of Sarajevo.
Open program of Television Sarajevo, May 2, 1992:
In a direct radio broadcasting of the news of the former Television Sarajevo, the world public found out that the Presidency of BiH is attacked, that the JNA Command in Sarajevo is surrounded, that the president of the country is held captive, that the city is attacked from all artillery weapons, and that negotiations for a cease-fire and exchange of captives are led by media.
On the same day, the building of the Main Post Office was set on fire by grenades and incendiary ammunition shot from the hills around Sarajevo. The building burnt to the ground, disabling the telephone communication in the city.
“When the President Izetbegović was captured and when the exchange was negotiated, they would never let him go that easy is they had finished the job on May 2. We did this great job on May 2 and that day, for me, is the key day in the course of war in Sarajevo because Sarajevo was supposed to be cut off that day. They came to around thirty meters from the Presidency of BiH. If they managed to get in, the course of war would be entirely different,” said Dragan Vikić, commandant of Special Units of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the biggest legend of the defense of Sarajevo.
Sarajevo is under siege, it was clear on that day.
In years that followed, people lived without water, electricity and food, along with everyday fierce shelling and sniper fire threat. Sarajevo experienced 1425 days of constant threat for its citizens.
May it never happen to anyone again.
(Source: radiosarajevo.ba/ photo bhrt)
