Mustabašić: Municipal funds are exhausted, we need help from all levels of government!

The situation with the landslide in Kosova has been unchanged for a long time, the houses that were damaged have been vacated, people are living with relatives and friends, and a bigger problem is in the village of Donji Bradići where the landslide is still active and every rainfall causes fear, said Mehmed Mustabašić, Mayor of Maglaj Municipality for the BiH news agency Patria (NAP).

- Some 15 to 20 facilities have been completely destroyed, and there is a danger that all 85 houses will be endangered by the landslide. Geologists from BiH and the Czech Republic have visited. It is a complex issue and the interventions are large, requiring deep drilling, digging channels, and water drainage, and it is questionable whether these landslides can be repaired at all – says Mustabašić.

Mustabašić emphasized that the municipal government exhausted its funds during the floods, and the cleaning alone cost 1.5 million KM, while the total municipal budget is 6 million KM.

- We are waiting for help from higher levels of government. The city center is slowly returning to normal. There is very little garbage left, machines are still working, and it is at a satisfactory level. Through the UNDP project for city improvement, we managed to employ 100 people for about 15 days – says Mustabašić.

A permanent solution for the residents of Kosova and Donji Bradići is still being considered, and one possibility is the purchase of new land, as all their property was in those areas.

- Then we will apply to donors to build houses. We will also see what happens after the donor conference in Brussels – says Mustabašić.

Given that it is the month of Ramadan, the mayor said that the Islamic Community is organizing joint iftars for 100 people who suffered in the floods, writes Patria.