Osmanović: Returnees are now our priority

The meeting held today at the FBiH Government with about twenty international non-governmental organizations, at the invitation of the FBiH Ministry of Displaced Persons and Refugees, aimed to inform these organizations about the situation primarily faced by returnees in RS and FBiH, said the relevant minister Adil Osmanović.

- They are the most vulnerable category who, twice in a short period, lost what they had accumulated over so many years, their homes – Osmanović told the BiH news agency Patria.

He pointed out that two main activities will take place in the coming days. The first is to enable the resumption of sowing some crops from June 1 to June 15, which could be harvested by autumn.

- This is what we most often receive as requests from returnees on our hotlines. Returnees from Bijeljina, Janja, Modriča, Doboj, Vukosavlje want to re-sow agricultural land. They say we are farmers, don't send us food packages, we are hardworking people, we want to sow – said Osmanović.

Precisely for this reason, the Ministry, in cooperation with these organizations, will provide seeds, mineral fertilizers, and fuel. The second activity concerns the situation on the ground and the condition of returnees' houses.

- Houses that were damaged by floods but do not have major structural damage could be the first to be made habitable. Once the floors are done, we will provide furniture and appliances. There is great despair among returnees; it will be most difficult to restore their motivation to rebuild their homes again. After a short time, a similar situation happened to them again – states Osmanović.

He said they want to send a message to all returnees that they are now a priority and that their problems will be addressed urgently. On the other hand, there are many people whose properties were completely destroyed.

- The part of the population whose residential buildings were completely destroyed by landslides requires larger investments, and according to our estimates, there are 2,500 such properties, which will also require the support of the international community. I am glad, and I have heard this from state officials and institutions, that these families will also receive a roof over their heads. However, all levels of government, from the municipality, canton to the state, should be involved in this process – Osmanović emphasized for NAP.