FOČA UNVEILS MONUMENT TO THE HERO OF THE VIDOVDAN ASSASSINATION

A monument dedicated to Serbian and Yugoslav revolutionary Gavrilo Princip has been unveiled in the town of Foča, commemorating the man whose actions 110 years ago sparked the collapse of an oppressive regime and brought hope and eventual freedom to these long-oppressed lands.

PHOTO: Radio Foča

The monument, situated on the plaza of a newly constructed residential and commercial building in the heart of Foča, was revealed by academician Matija Bećković and renowned filmmaker Emir Kusturica.

By erecting this monument, godparents Davor Lugonjić and Marko Sarić from Belgrade, originally from Foča, fulfilled Lugonjić's lifelong vow made to his father over four decades ago.

Lugonjić reflected on the revolutionary spirit of Gavrilo Princip, recalling the powerful words etched into his cell wall: "Whoever wants to live must die; whoever wants to die shall live." 

He emphasized that, although such ideals might seem unimaginable in today’s world, the idea of freedom embodied by Gavrilo Princip and the Young Bosnia movement will never fade.

Matija Bećković, referencing Miloš Crnjanski's observation that Princip’s name combines the meanings of an archangel and a principle, stated that Princip’s actions marked one of the greatest upheavals in European history.

“In a world that is no longer unipolar or bipolar but fragmented, as societies redefine themselves with seismic cultural shifts, we here in Foča unveil a monument to a young man who lived up to his name," Bećković said, adding that the unveiling holds special significance for him as this was his first visit to Foča.

Director Emir Kusturica highlighted that Gavrilo Princip had corrected the course of a century by standing against oppression and paving the way for liberation.

“The Serbian people, known for their resistance to tyranny, reached their pinnacle in the ideals of Princip, who gave meaning to our lives and opened the paths to freedom. The question now is how well we can preserve that freedom,” Kusturica noted.

In addition to the monument, a plaque bearing the names of Vidovdan heroes, including members of the Young Bosnia movement, was unveiled on a nearby building. 

Among the engraved names are Veljko and Vaso Čubrilović and the Bokonjić brothers, whose descendant Dejan Bokonjić is the dean of Foča's Medical Faculty.

The plaza surrounding the monument is expected to be renamed Trg Mlade Bosne (Young Bosnia Square), as confirmed by Foča's mayor, Milan Vukadinović.

“It is a great honor to unveil a monument to such a prominent Serbian and Yugoslav revolutionary, a fighter for freedom. I am confident this space will soon bear the name Young Bosnia Square,” Vukadinović stated.