Invitation to the presentation of a fire engine by the town of Göttingen to the town of Modrica

On Monday 04.02.2008 at 12 midday

On the courtyard of the Fire Brigade, Breslauer Str. 10

This coming Monday the Mayor of the town of Göttingen, Wolfgang Meyer, will present a fire engine of the Fire Brigade to the Mayor of the town of Modrica, Mladen Kreki´c. The Fire brigade is presenting the vehicle, an LF8, to their colleagues in Modrica and two firemen will accompany Mayor Kreki´c and also carry out training with the vehicle. This humanitarian brotherly aid from the town of Göttingen was organised by the General Secretary of the Society for Threatened Peoples, Tilman Zülch, following a visit to Bosnia two years ago.

Modrica lies in the north of Bosnia Herzegovina in the part of Bosnia under Serb administration. It was once a flourishing industrial city, but the outbreak of war on 8th April 1992 caused a fundamental destruction of its infrastructure. The small town has not yet recovered from the expulsion of its non-Serb population, which formed the larger part. Technical and financial means are lacking for reconstruction. The situation is particularly difficult for the fire brigade in Modrica. Their vehicles, which were destroyed in the war, have still not been replaced. At their disposal are merely two completely obsolete vehicles, which are totally inadequate. The donation of the fire engine by the brigade in Göttingen is therefore an important contribution to the reconstruction of the former war zone. The Serb mayor of this town has initiated several exemplary projects after the war to support the return of the non-Serb population (Bosnians, Croats and Roma). He encourages the cosmopolitanism of Modrica and does his best to facilitate the co-existence of all nationalities.

We would be very glad to welcome you and your colleagues from the picture-desks at the ceremonial presentation of the fire engine. We would be grateful for a short note to let us know whether you will be coming.

You will find below a two-page background text with general information on the town of Modrica.

Background information

Modrica – a small town in Bosnia Herzegovina

Modrica lies in the north of Bosnia Herzegovina in the part of Bosnia under Serb administration, and is the chief town in the region carrying the same name. Some 32,000 inhabitants live today in an area of 297 sq. km., of which the overwhelming majority are Bosnian Serbs.

The small town on the lower reaches of the River Bosna has a long history. It was first mentioned in chronicles of the year 1244. Before the outbreak of hostilities in April 1992 Modrica was a flourishing provincial town. Rapid economic development took place at the end of the Second World War. Beside the traditional agriculture a number of industries, factories and workshops grew up, among them two chemical works, an oil refinery and textile and packaging industries. In view of its geographical position Modrica was particularly hard hit by the war. Today most of the factories are out of commission or equipped with totally obsolete machinery. The Modrica oil refinery remained one of the largest employers of the region, while other firms did not survive the war and the privatisation of the economy. There came no orders and many jobs were thus lost. A rise in unemployment with the accompanying impoverishment was the result which still faces the town today.

The destruction of living space and the infrastructure provides problems still today for Modrica. Because funds are lacking for reconstruction of the infrastructure and the purchase of the necessary equipment, many streets cannot be paved. The situation of the fire brigade is particularly difficult in Modrica. Many of their vehicles were destroyed in the war and have still not been replaced. So there are only two very old fire engines which are only capable of dealing with fires up to the second storey.

The ethnic composition of the population in Modrica has changed very considerably since the Bosnian war 81992-1995). Before the war the town had 35,413 inhabitants, of which 29% were Bosnian Moslems, 35% Bosnian Serbs, 27% Bosnian Croats and 8% members of other ethnic groups. During the war the town was „ethnically cleansed” by Serb troops and militia. 350 people, mainly Bosnian Moslems, were murdered. There were among them also Roma and a few Bosnian Croats. Today Bosnian Serbs make up the largest part of the population in Modrica. Of the approximately 60% non-Serb Bosnians who lived in the town before the war only a small number have returned to their previous hometown (about 10% of the Bosnians and Roma).

The administrative body of the town of Modrica is provided today the communal assembly of the town as legislative (25 members) and the mayor of the town, Mladen Kreki´c, as the executive. Both are very concerned to bring back to the town the good image it had before the war. So many activities have been launched to freshen up the economy and to raise the standard of living.

Modrica is today, with no small credit being due to the mayor

Kreki´c, open to cooperation both in the private and societal sector. Mayor Kreki´c is anxious to foster the co-existence which previously existed. The town has begun many exemplary projects which have the purpose of encouraging the return of the non-Serb population (Bosnians, Croats and Roma).

Many NGOs are active in the town. They provide representatives of the communal administration in ordeer better to serve the demands of their citizens. In the interests of providing the utmost in transparency and openness the administration has started its own homepage on the internet. In Modrica the first so-called „secure house” for victims of violence has been opened, which with the support of the local charitable society „Modrica’s Future” („Buducnost Modrica), an NGO, could be built by foreign humanitarian organisations. Among the projects in planning are for example the building of a swimming-pool and a kindergarten and the reconstruction of a cinema.

In the light of the strong will and the great enthusiasm of the people working in these projects a positive result can be expected. In sport the town is known for its football team, FK Modrica Maxima, and a volleyball club.

See the following link:

*Official Homepage of the town of Modrica:

http://www.modrica.ba

Jasna Causevic

Expert for South-east Europe