Danka Savić
Ambassador of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the Kingdom of Spain
Bosnia and Herzegovina honours an indelible memory of Spanish soldiers who have been present in our country for years during several peacekeeping missions.
The Kingdom of Spain played an important role in the process of establishing peace and reconstruction in Bosnia and Herzegovina, primarily with the arrival of its troops in BiH.
On 4th November 1992, three months after the Kingdom of Spain government made a decision on the participation of its troops in the Bosnia mission, Spanish soldiers set out on a journey through Croatia to BiH, a mission that was of great importance to the Spanish army. It was by far the largest mission in which Spain participated outside its borders.
United Nations Security Council Resolution 776 from 14th of September 1992 provided for the deployment of a multinational force in a humanitarian mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina. More than 46,000 Spanish troops participated in the mission, as part of the international peacekeeping force deployed in BiH which ended in 2010.
They suffered casualties in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The first was Lieutenant Arturo Muñoz Castellanos, who died in 1993 after being severely wounded by a mortar shell while delivering blood supplies to a hospital in Mostar as a member of the Spanish UNPROFOR contingent. Over the next almost twenty years that they were present in our country, 22 Spanish soldiers and their translator were killed in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Mostar’s largest square was named Spanish Square in honor of Spanish soldiers in 1995. The square, which was completely reconstructed and restored, was opened in 2012 by King Juan Carlos I of Spain, and a monument was erected in memory of the Spanish soldiers. Today there are two plaques in their memory. A memorial plaque with the names of the fallen Spanish soldiers in BiH was placed in the outdoor exhibition space of the Alcázar Fortress in Toledo.
After the war, from 1996 to 2008, Spain supported the reconstruction of BiH, played a significant role in the peace process, strengthening the defense sector, returning and assisting refugees, as well as establishing a sustainable economy, stabilizing and strengthening the rule of law. Spain also participated with significant funds in the restoration of important cultural and historical monuments in BiH: the City Hall in Sarajevo, the Cathedral in Mostar and the Spanish Steps in Mostar.
Currently, the most important for Bosnia and Herzegovina in terms of foreign policy is Spain’s assistance to Bosnia and Herzegovina that takes place on a multilateral basis, through the institutions of the European Union and / or the UN. The significance of Spain for Bosnia and Herzegovina is visible as it is the only country that has symbolic presence in our three largest cities: apart from the Spanish Square in Mostar, one of the Banja Luka’s streets is named Alfonso XIII, while in Sarajevo we have Barcelona Square. Throughout this time, many friendship ties were made that have permanently connected our countries.
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