HOTEL MONUMENT MUST NOT UNDERMINE DIGNITY OF THE SITE WHERE IT IS LOCATED

BANJA LUKA, JULY 24 /SRNA/ - The Kozara complex at Mrakovica is a cultural heritage site of exceptional importance for which protection measures have been prescribed, and this also includes the Monument hotel, which must not undermine the dignity of the place where it is located, Assistant Minister for Culture Tanja Đaković said.

Đaković reminded that in 2011 the National Assembly of Republika Srpska adopted a decision declaring the Kozara memorial complex at Mrakovica a cultural heritage site of exceptional importance. The complex includes the Monument to the Revolution, the Memorial Wall and the Memorial Museum. She stressed that, given its location in the immediate vicinity of the Monument to the Revolution, the Monument hotel must in no way undermine the dignity of the place where it is situated. "The fact is that this area is protected. There are regulations in place, and nothing can be done in this area without the approval of the Institute for the Protection of Cultural-Historical and Natural Heritage, which sets out protection measures and gives consent for future interventions in the area," Đaković told RTRS. Đaković explained that, accordingly, only educational content, memorial education programs, eco-tourism and educational walks with pupils can be offered at Kozara, that is, activities that do not undermine the dignity of the site and the surrounding area. She noted that in any country in the world, if an area is protected, everyone must comply with protection measures, including citizens of that country, foreigners and all other visitors. "Therefore, Kozara and Mrakovica are part of our cultural identity, and anything that does not serve the memorial, historical and other functions of this area is truly unacceptable and crosses the line," Đaković stressed. Đaković stressed that any commercial content or activities that would undermine the dignity of this site are unacceptable. She pointed out that economic interests cannot take precedence over the public interest, and that all investors are welcome if they adapt their projects to educational programs and activities that contribute to nurturing the culture of remembrance. "Only under those conditions. So, they are welcome if they fit into the Kozara area and the value that this site has for our people, as it has immeasurable intangible value through our relationship with our own past," Đaković stressed. She explained that when something is declared a cultural heritage site of exceptional importance, this means that protection measures are also prescribed. These measures do not apply only to the complex covered by the decision, but also to its wider surrounding area, which falls within the so-called buffer zone, for which certain protection measures are also defined. Đaković said that, under the applicable regulations, there is a management plan for Kozara National Park, and all activities carried out at Kozara must be in harmony with the surroundings, that is, with the overall character of the area. She said that preserving the culture of remembrance is one of the fundamental commitments of the cultural policy of Republika Srpska, and that Kozara and Mrakovica are among the key sites for preserving and nurturing the culture of remembrance. From the perspective of the Ministry of Education and Culture, Đaković believes that the Monument hotel should, above all, have an educational purpose, serving as a place where new knowledge can be acquired. She added that it should also be a place where older generations can refresh the knowledge they learned long ago about the Kozara Offensive of 1942, and about the magnificent monument which, with its height of 33 metres, symbolises the extraordinary resistance of the Serb people and their immense strength and struggle for freedom. She stressed that the Monument hotel should be a place where school trips, seminars, memorial education classes and scientific conferences can be organised; a space accessible to all researchers, pupils and education workers, and that it should be adapted exclusively for that purpose, in harmony with the entire character of the Kozara area. She pointed out that for Republika Srpska, Kozara can never "be just an ordinary tourist destination, nor can it be reduced to a commercial enterprise, because it is a symbol of the resistance of the Serb people and a symbol of freedom, but also of the suffering of the Serb people on an epic scale."