Mayor of Istočno Sarajevo, Ljubiša Ćosić, sent an open letter to EUFOR regarding their increased presence in that city.

“Citizens of the Republic of Srpska and, thus, the city of Istočno Sarajevo, have been witnessing the increasing presence of EUFOR troops in our local communities, which had not been explained, and which also causes anxiety among the citizens,” said Ćosić.

In his open letter he added that the people of the Republic of Srpska, as well as in the whole of Bosnia and Herzegovina, are still processing trauma from the past civil war that had afflicted everyone in these areas.

In his address, he called for the soldiers of international forces in Bosnia and Herzegovina to, whenever they want, in their free time, take off their uniforms and come to Istočno Sarajevo, as guests, to have a cup of coffee and talk to its citizens.

“You will see for yourselves that the people in our city and Republic of Srpska have no war in mind, but that instead we want a normal life in peace, and that there is no need for us to be watching any soldiers on school playgrounds, when what we really should be watching there are playful children.

Scenes reminiscent of the 90s

Children in a school in Sokolac were recently frightened by the presence of EUFOR soldiers in front of the schoolyard, which provoked intense reactions by parents and citizens. Sokolac Mayor Milovan Bjelica said that those scenes were reminiscent of the 90s.