The current government is playing games with the disaster-stricken population: Thousands of people face winter without a roof over their heads

Although the authorities promised since June that not a single family affected by the catastrophic floods in May would face winter without a roof over their heads, the situation on the ground is completely different. Bosniak candidate for the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bakir Izetbegović, was particularly vocal in his promises, stating that all houses would be renovated by winter, writes the BiH news agency Patria.

Izetbegović, although he used this opportunity for pre-election purposes to pose for photos and show that he brought aid to Maglaj residents, was contradicted by the director of TIKA, who stated that the construction of houses, for which this organization allocated one million euros, will not begin before spring.

Even the mayors of the municipalities most devastated by the May floods publicly state that not all families will be provided for, writes the BiH news agency Patria.

This is confirmed by the statement of the Mayor of Maglaj, Mehmed Mustabašić, who said that everyone will be part of some project, but that unfortunately, the renovation is going too slowly.

- It is certain that not all families will be taken care of by winter, which is not good news, but we must tell the citizens the truth – said Mustabašić.

On the other hand, aid from the Government of the Federation of BiH is also slow, despite the fact that the Fund for Aid to Flood Victims has been established and that director Jasmin Jaganjac is regularly receiving a salary for his position. And so, they are passing the buck from one level to another, and winter is inexorably approaching.

Jaganjac sent a letter to the municipal mayors informing them that the Fund's Management Board, at its 4th session held on September 30, expressed concern about their slow reaction in implementing the tripartite agreements based on the decisions of September 4, and once again called on them and warned them about the obligations they undertook regarding these decisions.

- I note that you have had funds allocated to the dedicated accounts of the municipalities since September 16, and you are obliged to urgently implement the aforementioned decisions. On September 30, the Fund sent you the draft tripartite agreement, to which there has been no reaction from any municipality yet (with the exception of the Municipality of Čelić) – writes Jaganjac.

The European Union, bypassing the Government of the FBiH, has begun to help the flood victims, skipping this institution because they realized that the capacity of the authorities in BiH is at zero level. Citizens are applying to their public call, and it is more than obvious that the renovation of these houses will be completed before the one that the government's Fund is supposed to lead begins.

It is now clear that the formation of the Fund is actually a way to employ SDP and SDA cadres, who shamelessly receive salaries for doing nothing, because it was established on August 29, and nothing has been done since it started operating, except that Jaganjac traveled and spent money (whether from the budget or from the fund intended for the disaster-stricken population) on daily allowances and salaries.

In addition to all this, as winter and elections approach, it is quite clear that this is yet another in a series of deceptions of the suffering citizens of this country. Because the mayors of the municipalities affected by the catastrophic floods are from SDA and SDP, it is illogical that they have not yet submitted complete reports from the field to those who need urgent assistance.

It is obvious that they are waiting for the elections, to see who will win, and then to start implementing the collected aid for the victims. However, it will be too late then, as winter is setting in.