Increased inspectional oversight in Sarajevo Canton: 32,500 KM in fines issued for failure to remove snow and icicles

(Patria) - The Cantonal Administration for Inspection Affairs of Sarajevo Canton (KS) today reported on intensive activities it is undertaking regarding winter maintenance, removal of snow and icicles, and control of tree conditions.

Official records from the communal wardens of the cantonal public utility companies Park and Rad, compiled due to non-compliance with the Law on Communal Cleanliness of KS, concerning the removal of snow from public areas, removal of snow and icicles from residential buildings and other facilities, as well as the condition of trees in public green areas within the KS, began arriving at the Cantonal Administration for Inspection Affairs of KS from January 9th.

Complaints related to the removal of snow and icicles, as well as winter maintenance, have also been sent to this authority by citizens of Sarajevo Canton in the past period.

From January 9th - when the first complaints were received, until today, 61 inspectional oversight procedures have been initiated at the Cantonal Administration for Inspection Affairs of KS based on these complaints, of which seven cases have been assigned to the housing inspection for managers of buildings regarding the removal of icicles.

Fourteen relate to legal entities, i.e., business entities concerning the removal of snow and icicles, 18 to snow removal from bus stops, six to snow removal from sidewalks and roads, while 16 cases concern the condition of trees in public green areas.

Given the understaffing of the Cantonal Administration for Inspection Affairs of KS, where currently only one inspector works as a communal inspector, by decision of the director, and in accordance with the Law on Inspections of KS, eight other inspectors from different administrative areas have been authorized to conduct oversight in this area, thereby creating conditions for more efficient processing of submitted complaints.

The Cantonal Administration for Inspection Affairs will organize a meeting this week, aimed at overcoming the current situation and finding the best solutions, to which representatives of the competent cantonal ministries, cantonal public utility companies Park and Rad, public transporters who use and manage public transport stops, road managers, representatives of building managers who maintain buildings in the KS area, as well as representatives of all KS municipalities will be invited.

Based on the identified irregularities, the acting inspectors are taking measures stipulated by law and have so far acted by issuing 10 warning orders, 15 orders for rectifying deficiencies, and 50 misdemeanor orders totaling 32,500 KM.

The Cantonal Administration notes that these are complex inspectional oversight procedures conducted in accordance with the rules of administrative procedure, and that the control of the execution of issued orders is carried out ex officio, and in case of non-compliance with the order, misdemeanor orders will be issued in accordance with the Law on Inspections of KS.

At the same time, they invite representatives of co-owners and co-owners to report any observed irregularities related to the removal of icicles or urgent interventions on residential buildings in accordance with Article 2 of the Instructions on the method of reporting and rectifying defects, to the manager responsible for their building.