A concert by two Sarajevo bands, Letu Štuke and Skroz, on Saturday 14 May in Dom Mladih Skenderija, organized by the EU Delegation to BiH, concluded a series of events celebrating Europe Day. An extended Europe Week, which is now well-established in BiH, began on 4 May and lasted until 14 May and included events such as a Run to Europe and an EU Caravan in Mokro, Sarajevo, Doboj, and Gradi?ka, as well as EU Infocenter activities in Tuzla, Mostar, Banja Luka and Sarajevo and a gala reception at the EU Delegation on 9 May.

The Dom Mladih event continued late into the evening as young people enjoyed the music of the two bands in a lively and entertaining atmosphere. Audience members came from Bosnia and Herzegovina and abroad, and fans joined in the choruses enthusiastically.

It was an opportunity to ask band members and audience members on what the European Union means to them.

“There is no other way for us but the European way, “said Dino Šaran, the lead singer of Letu Štuke. He said that Bosnia and Herzegovina’s biggest problem is that it waits for issues to solve themselves.

“We’re used to receiving humanitarian aid; people are tired of war, corruption and crime, everything that’s part of our everyday life. People are saturated with politics, there is too much wrong information and too much confrontation, and there is too little action, “ Šaran said.

Adnan Šaran from Skroz emphasised that, “we are Europe in the cultural sense and in other ways,” and he noted that during concerts such as the one at Dom Mladih to mark Europe Day, Bosnia and Herzegovina is already part of the European Union.

“There is no alternative for our country. We have to be a part of the EU,” said audience member Damir Ćapelj, 21, a veteran fan of both bands.

Another audience member, Emira Spaho, a student at the Second Gymnasium in Sarajevo, pointed out that meeting the conditions for EU membership means we will improve the situation in the country. She said she wants to study architecture or design and will take advantage of her school’s English-language program for those who wish to study abroad. She hopes to study in Graz, Austria.