Turkey to repair bridge at Višegrad

The decaying bridge on the River Drina at Višegrad is soon to be restored, Reuters reports.

Izvor: Reuters

Sunday, 27.05.2007.

14:14

Default images

Turkey to repair bridge at Višegrad

It was immortalized by writer Ivo Andric in "The Bridge on the Drina", which earned him a Nobel prize.

Višegrad's bridge is on the list of the world's threatened monuments but Bosnia, Turkey and the local council on Thursday agreed to repair it, including restoring the grayish stone to its original whiteness.

Next month it could also be included on the UN educational, cultural and scientific organization's (UNESCO) list of world heritage sites with "universal value," the chairman of Bosnia's commission for national monuments said.

"The situation is difficult but I want to believe that UNESCO's arrival could contribute to the town's opening and the return of the people," said historian Dubravko Lovrenović.

Muslims made up two-thirds of Višegrad's 21,000 people before the war, but only a few hundred have returned to their homes in the poor, drab town, some 100 km northeast of Sarajevo and close to the border with Serbia.

Reuters reports that it was long regarded as a stronghold of hardline nationalists and a safe haven for war criminals, but the security situation has improved since several of them were arrested.

Still, deputy mayor Nedžad Muhić, a Muslim, says it will take another 50 years for Višegrad to become again what it was because a lack of reconstruction assistance or employment possibilities are keeping refugees from returning.

"As it is now, it is no good to anyone," he said.

Komentari 1

Pogledaj komentare

1 Komentari

Možda vas zanima

Stiže novi "pakao"; Spremite se 1
Društvo

Stiže novi "pakao"; Spremite se

Kao u prvih 15 dana aprila, ovaj mesec će se završiti natprosečnim temperaturama. Prema najavi RHMZ u nedelju i do prve polovine naredne sedmice temperature će dostići letnje vrednosti.

7:21

26.4.2024.

1 d

Podeli: