The announcement of the public reception of the New Year 2024 in Mostar raised a real storm after it was said that the location would be changed, i.e. that the event would be held in the parking lot between the buildings of the HNK (Croatian National Theater under construction) and the Government of FBiH. The Islamic community reacted by asking for the location to be changed. This morning there were also posters announcing: “The craziest night on the bones of Bosniaks.”
Let’s go in order. Mayor Mario Kordić announced on October 16 that the residents of Mostar will be entertained by Željko Joksimović at the previously mentioned location.
The location caused controversy because the Islamic community claims that it is waqf land, that is, the former Lakišić harem. At the same location, several protests were held due to the construction of the Croatian National Theatre. From Islamic Community BiH they also stated that there is a cemetery with remains.
“We have an obligation to express our displeasure with such, not at all benevolent, conceived proposal of the mayor and his close associates. Muslims and members of the Islamic community perceive such a proposal with full suspicion because they consider it a direct provocation and not only a celebration of the New Year, but also the achieved dominance of one policy over another in our city. The surface of the remaining free site of the Lakišić harem is currently covered with sand and the mere crossing of one person over it raises dust. A larger number of people would raise the amount of dust to an unbearable level, which would mean that in some new phase the City Administration would cover that area with asphalt, which would later be used for who knows what projections and construction projects, all without the consent of the competent city services and the City Council. Also, in the mayor’s initiative, we recognize the inappropriate involvement of IZ in the qualifications of religious radicalism, which is, unfortunately, a frequent occurrence on the global scene these days”, says the chief imam of the Majlis of the Islamic Community (IZ) Mostar, M.Sc. Dino ef. Maksumic.
In the mayor’s initiative, says the imam of the Majlis IZ Mostar, he recognizes the intention to provoke the reactions of the Islamic community and believers as they are against celebrating the New Year as a generally accepted cultural event in the world, and especially in Europe.
City councilor Adil Šuta also responded.
“The New Year’s Eve will not be held on part of the site of the former Lakišić harem. That’s what we clearly asked the mayor to do today, and that’s how it will be. Spanish Square is a place for big events, including New Year’s Eve. We clearly pointed out that this is a “finger in the eye” of the Bosniaks of Mostar and that the organizers of the event are not playing with our feelings,” said the councilor last month.
Mayor Kordić denied the allegations that the locations will be changed. The director of HNK Mostar, Ivan Vukoja, said that the location is not owned by IZ.
“From the beginning, since the books and cadastre and land records in Mostar have been kept, that site has been owned by the state Austro-Hungarian railway, later the site has changed its owner and purpose several times and nowhere and never is the Islamic community mentioned in any legal status related to that locality”, he stated.
When it comes to the claims that there is a cemetery there, he stated the following: “As for the so-called construction problem itself, it does not exist factually or legally, because there is no Lakišića harem, i.e., a cemetery, on the site where HNK Mostar is being built. If there was once a cemetery there, since 1884 that cemetery has been exhumed, all parts and remains that were possibly there were moved to some other locations.”
Shocking posters appeared this morning. On the posters are photographs of the skull and bones, which are said to be “bodily remains from the Lakišić harem exhumed during the construction of the collector in 2017, currently placed in seven bags in the City Cemetery of Sutina”.
One of the messages is “New 2024, not in Lakišić’s harem!”, N1 reports.
