"We are proud that Banja Luka and Republic of Srpska are hosting the Balkan Championship and the World Cup in Ju-Jitsu, featuring over 1,000 competitors from 20 countries", stated Savo Minić, Prime Minister of the Republic of Srpska.

At the opening of the competition today at the "Borik" Sports Hall, the Prime Minister said that this was one of the biggest sporting events and an opportunity for Banja Luka to be visible at the global sports stage.

"Thanks to this event, Banja Luka is hosting 1,000 athletes from more than 20 countries today. This is a significant achievement for all of us, but especially for young people, as events like this encourage them to start training martial arts and sports in general", Prime Minister Minić said.

Organized by the Ju-Jitsu Federation of the Republic of Srpska, the 21st Balkan Championship and the World Cup take place in Banja Luka, featuring competitions across all age categories.