(Mayors) Agree: Large Financial Resources Needed for Environmental Remediation in Flood-Affected Areas

(Patria) - At the invitation of the Federal Minister of Environment and Tourism, Nasiha Pozder, a meeting was held today with the (mayors) of areas affected by floods and landslides.

The meeting was attended by Osman Ćatić (Konjic), Sabahudin Klisura (Fojnica), Mario Kordić (Mostar), Damir Šabanović (Jablanica), Boris Marić (Kreševo), and Mladen Mišurić Ramljak (Kiseljak).

Federal Prime Minister Nermin Nikšić, Deputy Prime Minister and Federal Minister of Finance Toni Kraljević, as well as Federal Minister of Displaced Persons and Refugees Nerin Dizdar, also attended the meeting, which aimed to identify the needs of local communities for urgent action regarding environmental protection.

In this regard, the Director of the Environmental Protection Fund, Slađan Bevanda, was also present.

- The idea was to hear the problems from the ground and to act urgently from the environmental sector and what falls under the jurisdiction of the Environmental Protection Fund to carry out the most pressing remediation.

We need studies and projects, and I believe this is a way to help local communities where they need it most at this moment.



One of the projects where we can react, and which was presented by the Mayor of Fojnica, Mr. Klisura, because the municipality submitted a study and project, is the remediation of the local landfill, which is their top priority.

Considering that we also need to think about tourism, which is important for these local communities, we want to help them make this sector functional and accessible again in the best possible way - stated Minister Pozder.

Director of the Fund, Slađan Bevanda, emphasized that local communities need to submit requests for support, and this institution, in accordance with its competencies and procedures, especially regarding urgent measures, will be able to react quickly and support remediation, for which there are already funds in the amount of two million KM that will need to be approved by the Government of FBiH.

The attendees unanimously expressed the importance and gratitude for organizing such a meeting, and they highlighted the problems from the ground and the needs, which are most often reflected in the need for landfill remediation, water supply, sewage systems, landslide remediation, and land reclamation.

It was also emphasized that large financial resources will be needed for environmental remediation in these local communities, the Federal Ministry of Environment and Tourism announced.