Podstrana pays torch-lit farewell to Mišo Kovač
Residents of the coastal town gathered by the sea on Thursday evening to honour the legendary singer with torches and his song 'Poljubi zemlju'.
Illustration: AI-generated image
Podstrana has become the latest Dalmatian town to say goodbye to Mišo Kovač. On Thursday evening, residents gathered by the sea and lit torches in memory of the beloved singer, who spent part of his life in the town near Split.
The local public fire brigade, Javna vatrogasna postrojba Podstrana, shared a video of the moving scene on Facebook with the simple message "Adio, barba Mate". Kovač's song "Poljubi zemlju" played in the background as the flames reflected on the water.
The tribute follows a large public farewell at Split's Poljud stadium on Tuesday, where more than 30,000 people gathered after the government declared a national day of mourning. Performers including Giuliano, Klapa Rišpet, Dražen Zečić, Mladen Grdović, Jole and Alen Nižetić sang his best-known songs, while the prayer was led by Father Ivan Utješinović.
After the Split ceremony, the funeral procession travelled towards Zadar, passing through several Dalmatian towns where locals also paid their respects. In Šibenik, the singer's birthplace, several hundred people gathered on Trg Republike Hrvatske and sang his songs together.
A commemoration in Zagreb will take place on 11 November at 12:00 in the small hall of the Vatroslav Lisinski Concert Hall.
