The Historian Vol. 2 No.1
the remains of newly identified victims that have been exhumed from unmarked graves are reburied during a ceremony of remembrance. This year the remains of 520 people were reburied and the anniversary created an eerily silent and sombre atmosphere across Mostar. The signing of the Dayton Agreement in 1995 by the presidents of Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, and Serbia finally ended the bloodiest war on European soil since 1945. The agreement divided Bosnia into two semi-independent entities: the federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina which was inhabited mainly by Bosnian Muslims and Croats, and the Serb-dominated Republika Srpska. NATO peacekeeping troops were moved into the area and the country received over $14 billion in international aid. This has gone a long way in terms of reconstructing the nation post-conflict. Relations with its neighbours Croatia, Serbia and Montenegro have remained fairly stable since the end of the war. In 2007 Bosnia and Herzegovina became a potential candidate country for EU accession and full membership of NATO is expected within the next few years. Today, Bosnia has become one of the most frequently-visited countries in the Balkan region due to its renowned natural beauty and cultural heritage. In Mostar, the reconstruction is most clearly marked by the rebuilding of Stari Most – the ‘Old Bridge’ that was destroyed by bombing in 1993 after standing for 427 years. The destruction of the 16th century Ottoman bridge was a purposeful tactic aimed at weakening the cultural history and identity of the city.
27