MFA: No money is being donated at BiH's diplomatic-consular missions

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of BiH issued a press release regarding the activities of the MFA BiH and diplomatic-consular missions (DCMs) related to the collection and delivery of humanitarian aid to Bosnia and Herzegovina, reports the Patria News Agency.

- We want to inform the public of BiH that no money is being donated at BiH's diplomatic-consular missions, nor are BiH's DCMs involved in such activities. Based on the decision of the Council of Ministers of BiH, the MFA BiH has instructed BiH's diplomatic-consular missions worldwide to inform BiH citizens abroad, individuals, humanitarian organizations, and institutions in the host countries about the accounts of state and entity humanitarian organizations (in this case, the Red Cross), and the unified accounts of BiH and the entities, where monetary funds can be deposited to help victims of catastrophic floods – stated this ministry.

They further stated that, in order to facilitate deposits for BiH citizens abroad and foreign nationals, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of BiH, with the consent of the Ministry of Treasury and Finance of BiH, has opened a PayPal account, so that citizens can make deposits online and at least partially relieve them of paying high commissions on money transfers.

- Instructions regarding the collection of humanitarian aid have been delivered to BiH's diplomatic-consular missions worldwide, requesting that embassies, missions, general consulates, and consulates of BiH worldwide, in accordance with their capacities, be available to individuals or organizations for the delivery of non-financial aid. Aid is not physically deposited at embassies because there are no adequate material and human resources for it. In a number of countries, the DCM network is located in office buildings or generally has limited space available. The situation is similar with the number of people in embassies who are focused on maximally facilitating administrative barriers for humanitarian shipments, preparing and communicating with the host country in channeling state aid, and upcoming preparations for the reconstruction phase for which a donor conference will also be organized – they added from the MFA.

From the very first day of the floods, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina has placed its personnel and material capacities at the disposal of the Operational Center of the Ministry of Security of BiH, which is responsible for managing and directing crisis situations such as the natural disaster affecting Bosnia and Herzegovina. MFA BiH employees continue to be available for directing and coordinating requests for international assistance.

- An Operational Team has been formed within the MFA BiH, which exclusively handles matters related to the situation caused by the floods. The Operational Team is coordinated by Nermin Mešinović. The Operational Team carries out all necessary activities and communication with BiH's DCM network, foreign DCMs in BiH, the Ministry of Security of BiH, the Indirect Taxation Authority of BiH, and other relevant institutions regarding the newly emerged situation in BiH. In the past seven days, thanks to the engagement of MFA BiH employees in the diplomatic-consular network and headquarters, and especially the operational team, the arrival of more than 30 planes and convoys of humanitarian aid from Azerbaijan, Pakistan, Germany, the Netherlands, Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, Montenegro, etc. has been enabled – they further stated.

Why the plane with humanitarian aid from Azerbaijan had to wait nine hours at Sarajevo Airport for all necessary procedures to be completed and the equipment to be dispatched to those who need it, you will agree, is not a question for the MFA BiH (although in that situation too, the MFA BiH mediated and insisted with the competent customs services that the procedures be accelerated as much as possible), claim the MFA.

- It is truly painful that some media outlets are trying to portray that the MFA BiH and our DCM network are doing nothing or not enough in collecting humanitarian aid and generally helping the flood-affected areas. While our fellow citizens in the affected regions are trying to survive, we have to engage in a public debate with certain media outlets and prove that we do exist, even though it is more than evident from everything the MFA has done so far – they stated.