Lipa Camp Expected to Be Operational for Migrant Reception Soon

(Patria) - Mustafa Ružnić, Prime Minister of Una-Sana Canton, along with representatives from IOM and UNHCR, and the Mayor of Bihać, Šuhret Fazlić, visited the Lipa location, where a camp for migrant reception will be established within the next eight days.

As agreed at an expanded meeting of the Operational Group for coordinating activities and monitoring the migrant crisis in the Una-Sana Canton, the City of Bihać has begun preparing the Lipa location, with the consent of the City Council, for the establishment of a camp to receive migrants who are currently outside organized reception centers in Bihać, thus endangering both their health and public health.

- At the proposal of the Cantonal Civil Protection Headquarters of Una-Sana Canton, the Cantonal Government made a decision to use funds from a special fee for implementing preventive protection measures to provide conditions for migrant accommodation at the Lipa location near Bihać, and the City of Bihać was allocated an amount of 60,000 KM for the implementation of preventive protection measures in preparing the Lipa location for migrant reception. The Federal Civil Protection Administration also provided assistance in establishing the camp, and with the support of the BiH Council of Ministers Minister of Security, Fahrudin Radončić, support from IOM and DRC was agreed upon for organizing the camp and receiving migrants during the period of danger due to the spread of coronavirus, says Prime Minister Mustafa Ružnić.

During the visit to the Lipa location, plans were presented for the rapid establishment of basic infrastructure so that the camp would be operational for reception within eight days.

- Despite the poor weather conditions and the fact that a state of emergency has been declared throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina due to the coronavirus pandemic, we will succeed, together with partners from the international community, the Una-Sana Canton Government, the FBiH Government, and the BiH Ministry of Security, in preparing the Lipa site for migrant accommodation. This is the best solution to move migrants from the streets and abandoned buildings, said the Mayor of Bihać, Fazlić.