SRPSKA PRESIDENT PROVIDES FUNDS FOR WATER SUPPLY – A HISTORIC DAY FOR PREBILOVCI PEOPLE

ČAPLJINA, SEPTEMBER 12 /SRNA/ – The head of the local community of Prebilovci, Aleksa Dragićević, told SRNA that all Prebilovci residents, wherever they may be, were overjoyed by the news that the President of Republika Srpska, Milorad Dodik, has decided to allocate BAM 300,000 for the construction of a water supply system – a project that means life and survival for the people of this suffering Serb village.

“For the residents of Prebilovci, this means life. Water is essential for living. People have struggled, hauling water from wells, filling cisterns. Summers are long, hot, and dry – life without water is unbearable. Now we will have the basic conditions for life,” said Dragićević. He emphasized that this is a historic day for this Serb village, noting that the water supply project began even before the war, but was never completed. “Although there have been several attempts over the years to finish the water supply system started before the war, none were successful. We thank President Dodik and the government of Republika Srpska, who always show love and understanding for Prebilovci,” said Dragićević. He noted that the government of Republika Srpska had already allocated BAM 200,000 in two prior installments for the water supply project in Prebilovci. “A project has now been created in cooperation with the Mayor of Čapljina to ensure that every renovated house will receive a free connection, as will the Church of the Ascension of Christ, the nearby lodging, the playground, and the cultural centre,” added Dragićević. The funds designated for the water supply system will be transferred to the public utility Water Supply company in Čapljina. The company’s director, Ante Maslać, told SRNA that every household should receive water within six months. “As soon as the funds are transferred, we’ll start working. It will take us about six months to complete everything. Much of the work has already been done and prepared. We need to submit certain applications. There are requests for around 40 connections, including the church and the cultural centre. The total cost is about BAM 400,000, and the rest of the funds will be provided by the City of Čapljina and the Water Supply Utility Company,” Maslać explained. President Milorad Dodik has also provided funds for the construction of the Church of the Resurrection of Christ in Prebilovci, which was built and consecrated in 2015 in memory of around 4,000 Serbs from lower Herzegovina who were killed by the Ustaše during World War II. The Serbian Orthodox Church canonized them that same year. The church was modeled after the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, a symbol of resurrection and life. Its construction was supported not only by President Dodik but also by the Serb diaspora. In August, President Dodik announced in Prebilovci that a monastery complex and national memorial would be built at this execution site for Serbs. Prebilovci is a symbol of the suffering of Serbs in Herzegovina during the time of the fascist NDH /Independent State of Croatia/, and is considered the village that suffered the most in Europe during World War II. In August 1941, out of about 1,000 residents, 823 were killed – mostly women and children. Today, only 45 people live in Prebilovci. In addition to the church, a lodging is being built to establish a monastery complex.