BiH MFA for Patria: Still no evacuation of 24 BiH basketball players from Italy

SARAJEVO, (Patria) - The Embassy of Bosnia and Herzegovina in Rome and the Consulate General in Milan receive daily phone calls and emails from BiH citizens residing in the Republic of Italy, and all those who have expressed a desire to return to BiH, regardless of the reason for their stay in Italy, are being registered. So far, 89 people have been registered, and our diplomatic missions possess all contact details of the persons on the joint list. Our diplomatic representatives maintain daily contact either directly with our citizens or with their close relatives, in Italy or in BiH, it has been confirmed for Patria from the BiH MFA.

"Among these BiH citizens is a group of 24 basketball players from different parts of BiH, stationed in the regions of central and southern Italy. For now, most of them have expressed their willingness, through personal contact or via their basketball managers, to return to BiH, while a smaller number are awaiting the official decision of their regional federations and the final decision of the Basketball Federation of the Republic of Italy regarding the continuation of the competition calendar.

For now, the recommendation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of BiH to all our citizens, regardless of their location, is to act according to the instructions and decrees on restrictive protection measures issued by the competent local authorities, health, security, and sanitary institutions of the countries where they reside, and to adhere to the established protection measures against the virus prescribed by the competent institutions, with the aim of preventing the spread of infection, preserving personal health, and the health of other persons with whom they interact.

In most European countries, flights have been cancelled and bus lines suspended, including in Italy, and competent BiH authorities and institutions have not established procedures nor planned the organized return of our citizens to BiH for now. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of BiH is seeking the best solution to help our citizens, in cooperation and coordination with the competent BiH and entity authorities. Our diplomatic missions in Italy are trying to coordinate activities with the diplomatic representatives of neighboring countries, primarily Croatia and Serbia, whose citizens also wish to be transported from Italy to their countries, but for now, these countries have also not carried out any evacuation of their citizens from the Republic of Italy, but rather, in a similar manner to our diplomatic missions, they are registering individuals who express a desire to return and request assistance in doing so.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of BiH will continue to monitor the further development of the situation and, in accordance with its authorities and the decisions of the competent BiH institutions, will undertake all activities within its jurisdiction to assist all BiH citizens, regardless of their location," stated the BiH MFA.