There is a new trend in monument buildings in the countries of former
Yugoslavia. After the wars that aimed to eradicate the multi-
cultural character of the former society, now the monuments are built
in celebration of that very character to globally recognized
imaginary heroes that fight for justice and protect the innocent:
Bruce Lee in Mostar (Bosnia), Rocky Balboa in Zitiste (Serbia),
Winettou in Plitvice (Croatia), Tarzan in Medja (Serbia) - birthplace
of Jonny Weismueller, and Samantha Fox (before breast-reduction) in
Cacak, the capital of Serbian country music...
Rest of synopsis and full article (in Croatian)
I'm not aware of the creation stories for the other statues; but I do know that the Mostar statue came about as an attempt to bring together the different communities in Mostar; in the words of one person involved :
Lee was chosen by organisers as a symbol of the fight against ethnic divisions.
"We will always be Muslims, Serbs or Croats," said Veselin Gatalo of the youth group Urban Movement Mostar.
"But one thing we all have in common is Bruce Lee."
Unfortunately, as this picture in the article attests to, someone didn't like that idea, or didn't like Bruce Lee, or perhaps was simply drunk and/or bored and vandalized the statue.
I can understand Jonny Weismueller for the regional connection; and I can even (although I've never made it through a "Rocky" film) understand the Rocky infatuation given "Rocky's" tough-guy, never give up message; but Samantha Fox? It isn't like turbofolk is lacking in similarly um, endowed women; is Fox especially popular in the Balkans?
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