Excavation works in the area of the central Bosnian town of Visoko, which are to mark the continuation of a search for alleged pyramids after a break of several months, will resume with the open financial support of the government of Bosnia's Croat-Muslim entity, the Federation of Bosnia-Hercegovina, the Archeology Park: Bosnian Sun Pyramid Foundation has announced.

"State institutions have decided to financially back the project, which is of global importance," reads a statement the foundation issued after Federation Prime Minister Nedzad Brankovic visited the excavation sites at Visoko, announcing, to the dismay of scientists, government support for the project of self-proclaimed archeologist Semir Osmanagic.

Osmanagic claims that there is not one, but en entire complex of pyramids in the area of Visoko, which he says were built at least 12,000 years ago by an advanced, mysterious Bosnian civilization.

Numerous visitors have been visiting Osmanagic's excavation sites for months.

During his visit to Visoko, PM Brankovic criticized all who doubt claims about the Visoko pyramids.

"Why are we falling over ourselves to negate something that is visible also to the unprofessional eye and why don't we affirm it," Brankovic asked.

Thanks to open political support, Osmanagic's foundation has managed almost overnight to obtain permits to continue with excavations on hills surrounding Visoko which, it has been proven, contain valuable archaeological remnants of Bosnia's Middle Age history.

Zenica-Doboj Canton Education, Science and Culture Minister Zdenka Merdzan confirmed that the permit to continue with excavation works had been granted for a period of 12 months.

If in the course of excavations, archaeological finds or items constituting national and historical assets are discovered, the foundation must stop excavations and report about it to the relevant authority, the minister said.

What remains unclear is why excavation works were entrusted to somebody who is not trusted to handle appropriately possible archaeological finds.

The Federation government has not stated with how much money it intends to support Osmanagic's efforts to prove his bizarre theory, but according to some reports, the foundation has sought around 1.5 million convertible marks (around 800,000 euros).

Archaeologist Vuk Bacanovic, one of the original opponents of Osmanagic's theory, said in the latest issue of the Sarajevo-based weekly "Dani" that the entire affair had stopped being amusing and that it should be addressed by the entity prosecutor's office.

Bacanovic claims that Osmanagic is using lies to get hold of government money.

The archaeologist recalls that no material evidence supporting Osmanagic's claim has been found so far and that experts from the National Museum in Sarajevo have no access to the geological material which Osmanagic claims proves that a very old, advanced civilization had existed in the area of Visoko.

On top of all this, the Visoko locality has been exposed to environmental devastation due to unprofessional excavation works, Bacanovic warns.

Encouraged by political support, Osmanagic's foundation does not pay much attention to these objections.

"In five to ten years nobody will remember the ill-intentioned opposition and efforts to stop the research. A million tourists will be visiting the Visoko Valley every year and enjoy the adventure of discovering the underground labyrinth and entrance to unique Bosnian pyramids," Osmanagic said, repeating that once his research was finished, "history will be written anew".