Bono from U2 May Lose His Bosnia Passport
Show Buzz | August 18, 2009, Tuesday



The dispute was reportedly raised when Bono recently commented during U2 concerts in Zagreb, Croatia, that his Bosnian passport was one of his most treasured possessions. Photo by BGNES

The frontmen of the Irish rock Band U2, Bono Vox, may lose his honorary Bosnian passport presented to him by late President Alija Izetbegovic in 1997.

The singer, who is as famous for his humanitarian work as for his music, received the honorary passport when U2 performed in Sarajevo, in recognition of his work in the country during the war.

"It's a small country and we have been divided also. We are trying to wrestle our world from the fools of the past and give it to the wise men of the future", Bono said back in 1997, linking Bosnia and Ireland for their fate.

However, Bosnia's Council of Ministers now claim the country's laws do not allow for the conferral of honorary citizenships and are reportedly planning to have it revoked, the Daily Telegraph said Monday

According to Bosnian media sources, the dispute was raised when Bono recently commented during U2 concerts in Zagreb, Croatia, that his Bosnian passport was one of his most treasured possessions.

"If we establish that a passport was given outside a regular legal procedure, we will have no other option but to take it away. We cut no slack to anybody, not even for Bono", Bosnia's Civil Affairs Minister, Sredoje Novic, said.

Bono has been both praised and criticized for his activism. He has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize and was granted an honorary knighthood by the Queen.

He is the only person, who has been nominated for an Oscar, Grammy, Golden Globe, and for the Nobel Prize.

novinite