It expresses concern that the adoption of the proposed regulatory plan for Marijin Dvor could halt an international research project at the University of Sarajevo.

The debate over the fate of the space at Marijin Dvor will be on the agenda of the City Council session scheduled for Wednesday. The proposed regulatory plan "Quadrant C โ€“ Marijin Dvor" has sparked reactions from the academic community, and now Edmond Offermann has also spoken out on behalf of the "Three Physicists" Foundation.

Offermann's foundation, in collaboration with CERN in Geneva, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), and the Faculty of Natural Sciences and Mathematics in Sarajevo, is working to establish an ion source laboratory. According to his letter, 4.5 million euros have been invested in this project so far, with plans to expand into the production of radioisotopes for cancer treatment.

However, Offermann warns that new urban planning solutions could jeopardize this project.

"If the Council adopts the plan in its current form, the construction of a public road and parking spaces would lead to the suspension of the international research program. We were never informed that the university property in question could be repurposed for non-academic purposes," the letter to the City Council states.

Edmond Offermann is a Dutch-American nuclear physicist and businessman, best known to the Bosnian public for his donation of approximately seven million KM, which funded the restoration of the Trebeviฤ‡ cable car in 2018. Through his foundation, he continues to support projects in education and science in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Concerns over the removal of authority

In his address, he expresses concern about the way the property of the University of Sarajevo (UNSA) is being managed. Offermann states that "it is unacceptable for the government sector to strip the University Senate of its authority," adding that it creates the impression that property is being handed over for projects lacking a credible vision for the city's development.

"We presented our vision for future development to Prime Minister Nihad Uk, but we were never informed that the university property in question could be repurposed for non-academic purposes," Offermann said.

The regulatory plan covers an area of about 14.6 hectares in the central zone of Sarajevo and envisions significant changes in this part of the city. The official goal of the plan is to transform the space into an "open city quadrant."

Some of the planned projects include: Expansion of the Importanne complex (a new 12-story wing); Construction of the Ars Aevi Museum of Contemporary Art; Construction of the Embassy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; Construction of the WTC Sarajevo business complex; new commercial buildings along Vilsonovo Promenade and pedestrian walkways.

However, the part of the plan concerning traffic and parking has drawn criticism from some members of the public. The plan envisions new parking capacities and roads that would partially cover existing green spaces. The University of Sarajevo previously warned that such solutions are planned on their land and undermine the concept of the campus as a pedestrian and open zone.

Ahead of the session, Offermann appealed to the City Council not to adopt the plan in its current form and recommended that politically independent actors be included in the revision process.

He emphasized that the "Three Physicists" Foundation fully supports the demands of the University of Sarajevo Senate, whose objections will be reviewed by city councilors on Wednesday, along with other planned agenda items.

"I call on the City Council not to adopt the Quadrant C โ€“ Marijin Dvor Plan in its current form. I also recommend that politically independent actors be included in the revision process. Regardless of the Council's decision, I want to clearly state that the 'Three Physicists' Foundation fully supports the University Senate and will do everything in its power to support its demands," Offermann's letter concludes.