The mayor of Sarajevo, Benjamina Karić, spoke out after public reactions because she awarded the city’s gold coins to members of the AntiDayton movement.
We transmit her status in full:
“No award or recognition from the City of Sarajevo was given to the mentioned movement. The gold coin is a souvenir that we give as a sign of thanks for various activities. The reception was organized for individuals who helped the people of Syria and Turkey after the devastating earthquakes.
Nihad Alicković, Sadik Menković and Midhat Hajdarević spent a month in a children’s camp in Syria, where they volunteered to help the afflicted people, especially children.
I am the mayor of all citizens, regardless of any politics or political beliefs. I organized receptions and thanked other organizations that helped Turkey and Syria: Pomozi.ba Association, and all GSS members who were on the ground, more than a hundred of them, received gold coins.
The proposal of the delegation that I received is a very noble one, to sell over 500 drawings drawn by children from the camps in gratitude at a donor exhibition, from which the money will be paid for aid. I enthusiastically accepted the idea. Is it a sin to reward a good deed? Is it a sin to treat all people who do something good, regardless of politics, equally? I’m sure it’s not, and to all those who think it is, I apologize for the hurt feelings.
I symbolically rewarded humanity, and I hope that hate speech or any other dishonorable acts will be sanctioned by the competent authorities.”
