What did the destruction of Stari Most mean for Mostar and Bosnia?

THE OLD BRIDGE AND HIS DESTRUCTION SIMBOLIZED THE BIGGEST TRAGEDY WHICH HAPPENED BETWEEN THE NATIONS IN BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA. HATES, ETHNICAL DESTROING, ATTEMPTS OF KILLING MULTIETHNICAL LIFE IN TOWN MOSTAR, AND IN WHOLE BOSNIA AND HERRZEGOVINA.

What does it mean for the people of Mostar that the new Stari Most now has
been opened?

VICTORY.THE VICTORY OF EVERYONE WHO BELIEVED THAT THE COMMON LIVING IS POSSIBLE IN THIS COUNTRY. THE PROOF, THAT EVERYONE WHO START THIS DISASTROUS WAR HAVE BEEN LOST. THE PROOF THAT FASCISM IS DEFEATED AGAIN.

Can you sense any changes in the mood of the people in Mostar since Stari
Most opened again?

THE CITIZIENS OF MOSTAR,FROM EAST SIDE OF TOWN, POLITICALLY AND MILITARY HAVE BEEN STANDING IN PROTECTING OF IDEA ABOUT POSSIBILITY COMMON LIVING OF THREE NATIONS AND RELIGIONS. THEY SEEM THIS AS THEIR OWN VICTORY.

I've heard that Mostar was a cultural center before the war, how is it now?

PEOPLE ARE HAPPY,BECOUSE OPENING OF BRIDGE HAS BEEN PRODUCED MUCH BETTER ECONOMICAL SITUATION IN TOWN, BY COMING BACK LOTS OF FOREIGN AND DOMESTIC TOURISTS, WHO ARE VISITING BRIDGE.

Was the community of artists in Mostar ethnically divided before the war, is
it so now?

MOSTAR HAS BEEN ONE OF THE MOST GREATEST TOWN IN EX YUGOSLAVIA, AND TODAY EVERYBODY KNOW THAT OUR TOWN WILL BE THE MOST ATRACTIVE TURIST DESTINATION ON BALKAN, AGAIN.

Questions
swedish journalist Fredrik Nyblad
fredrik.nyblad@tv4.se

Answers - Center for peace and multiethnic cooperation Mostar

I'm interested about fights between Bosnian, Serbian and Croatian troops: what were the positions of armies during bombarding?

The east side of town was geto, absolutely surrounded with Croatian military troops from the west and Serbian from the east.The territory surrounded in geto, was under control of the BiH army, and the Old bridge was there.

Did the bridge have any military importance?

The bridge didn`thave any military importance which was affirmated by the foreign military experts too.
Some of the Croatian political and religions circles are trying to amnest this brutal akt, giving false informations, even trying to accuse Bosnian army for that.
Even actualy and officialy politic from Croatia in Zagreb,gave confirmed statements, that this brutal akt did Croatian army and all of vandals will be accused for that.

Could it have been able to carry tanks or heavy military vehicles?

The military of BiH army and citizens of Mostar by east side, were occupied by Croats and Serbians troops,and they didn`t have any military wheel.

The Old bridge with it`s arhitectural construction couldn`t allowed passing any wheels, it`s served only for pedestrians.

Where are the nearest bridges over Neretva, and who occupied them?

All of the bridges (seven), were destroyed by Serbian troops,while they living Mostar,except the Old bridge,so improvised pedestrians bridges were the only way forpassing river.

The bridge wasn`t shoot and ruin by Serbs or Croats,nore that fact can be connected with name of any of that nations.

Fascist did it.

Serbian troops shooted the bridge with one grenede in 1992., place near town Nevesinje (Cobanovo polje),under Mostar, from the east part of Herzegovina.But in 1993,Croatians troops were constantly shooting the bridge from Planinica, Galac and Stotina places, till it`s completely destroing on 9th November.

Where did Serbs and Croats shoot the bridge from?

Questions
finnish history teacher Mika Rissanen, M.Ph.
mikrissa@cc.jyu.fi
www.cc.jyu.fi/~mikrissa

Answers - Center for peace and multiethnic cooperation Mostar