MARJANOVIĆ: SERBS IN FEAR OF ANNOUNCED ACTIVITIES WITH REPLICAS OF ARMS

SANSKI MOST, MAY 2 /SRNA/ - Serbian returnees in Sanski Most are in fear of the announced sports activities in the memorial area of Korčanica, where replicas of weapons will be used, which reminds the residents of the war events, Branko Marjanović from the Sanski Most Homeland Association Grmeč told SRNA.

"A great fear has arisen among Serbian returnees, especially people living near the memorial area of Korčanica. Their fear is justified because replicas of weapons will be used in sports activities, which reminds the residents of the unfortunate events of some thirty years ago," emphasized Marjanović. According to him, the desecration of the memorial area of Korčanica evokes a great deal of emotion due to memories of World War II, not only among Serbs in Sanski Most but also in other municipalities near Mount Grmeč. Marjanović has said that the Sanski Most Homeland Association Grmeč will organize meetings with experts, with the help of the authorities from Republika Srpska and the Association of Veterans of the People's Liberation War /SUBNOR/ to change the decision regarding the Korčanica memorial area. "The position of Serbs in the entire FBiH is very difficult. There are no jobs, the infrastructure is poor, and some villages lack electricity, water, and roads. Every attempt is made to obstruct the return, which is done systematically as part of their national project," Marjanović said. He added that obstructions to the return of the Serbian people are particularly repeated in election years in BiH. "An unambiguous message is sent to Serbs that they should not live in their ancestral homes in the Federation, or even worse, an attempt is made to send a message that Serbs have never lived in the territory of the FBiH. They want to erase our existence and history," emphasized Marjanović. He added that around 1,300 Serbs live in the area of Sanski Most. His Grace, Bishop of Bihać-Petrovac, Sergije, said yesterday that the memorial area of Korčanica on Grmeč has been exposed to devastation since 1995 and will soon become an airsoft center, continuing the desecration of this place and intimidating the few returnees. The Partisan memorial complex Korčanica was erected in the early 1980s in honor of the Partisans from Grmeč, with a monumental obelisk and museum, deep in the forests of Grmeč, at the site where a partisan hospital and numerous accompanying facilities were located in 1942. Today, it is devastated and forgotten and is soon to become a large sports training center where replicas of firearms will be used. The sports and recreational club Novem Flumina from Sanski Most has been assigned nearly 6.6 hectares of land from the Korčanica National Park for this purpose.