Inspection decision this week: Locals demand ban on desecration of BiH's cleanest river bank

The Water Management Inspectorate in Mostar is expected to make a final decision this week in the case of the Buna river, whose banks were abruptly widened by construction machinery a few days ago, which has alarmed the local population, writes the BiH news agency Patria.

Residents of Mali polje near Blagaj do not know who the investor is, nor what their plans are for the banks of the cleanest river in Bosnia and Herzegovina. However, they claim they will not allow any further work on the Buna river banks.

- We found out that the works are being carried out without the necessary permits, we are convinced that a weekend settlement will spring up at that location, some have already marked plots, which will permanently pollute the Buna – warn the residents of Mali polje. Several dozen of them have been patrolling the river banks for days, not allowing the machinery to approach the river again.

The Buna is one of the cleanest rivers in BiH (Photo: Patria)

In just a few days that the machinery worked in Mali polje, the residents claim, they narrowed the riverbed, which increased the danger of floods that almost every year affect the settlement, as well as the local cemetery.
In Mali polje, one can hear that there are people in Mostar and its surroundings who have already paid money for plots on the banks of the Buna river, but who sold them state land, to whom they gave money, what is written in the purchase agreements, that is still a secret.

The entire case has also ended up with the local police. The residents have announced that they will seek help from higher, federal institutions, and if necessary, they will seek help from state authorities.

It is surprising that the construction inspectorate declared itself incompetent in this case. Precisely because of this, the residents believe that politics is behind everything.

Patria has confirmed from the company MIP, whose machinery was renovating the Buna river bank, that they have withdrawn from the entire project, but they did not want to reveal who commissioned the work from them.

- If BiH is a legal state, then they will have to say so to the police and the prosecutor's office – the residents are firm.

They announced that they will not ask the inspectorate only to stop further work on the Buna river bank, but also to restore the bank to its original state, writes NAP.