May 2, the day when Sarajevo was defended

AFP

May 2 is marked in Sarajevo and part of Bosnia's Federation entity as the day when Sarajevo was defended from the former Yugoslav National Army (JNA) tried to take hold of the Presidency building in 1992.

They planned to take hold of the building, eliminating Bosnia's leadership headed by the then President Alija Izetbegovic. That was when a decisive battle for the defence of Sarajevo and Bosnia and Herzegovina tool place. It is known as the Battle for the Presidency.

That was the day when the siege of Sarajevo also became apparent. From that day, Sarajevo residents were forced to live without water, food and electricity, with constant shelling and sniper fire for the next 1,425 days.

That was also the date when the former President of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina Alija Izetbegovic, was arrested by teh JNA, and Presidency member Fikret Abdic was getting ready to take over the office.

The Battle for the Presidency ended with the triumph of Sarajevans, and President Izetbegovic was exchanged the day later in the Dobrovoljacka street.

Delegations of the Canton Sarajevo and Sarajevo's Old Town municipality marked this day by laying of wreaths at memorials and holding of a number of appropriate events.

This date is not marked in Bosnia's Serb-dominated region of Republika Srpska, or the Herzegovina region mostly populated by Bosnian Croats.