Police to patrol evacuated properties to prevent potential looting

SARAJEVO, (Patria) - In order to prepare for an effective fight against floods during the upcoming night, a joint meeting of members of the Sarajevo Canton Government, Mayor Benjamina Karić, representatives of the municipalities of Centar, Novo Sarajevo, Vogošća, Ilijaš and Stari Grad, as well as cantonal and federal civil protection administrations and inspection bodies, and the Mountain Rescue Service was held this evening.

KS Prime Minister Edin Forto stated at the beginning of the meeting that the Government is present with the necessary capacity for full decision-making, and that if necessary, they can immediately make decisions required by the endangered local communities, in order to take the most effective steps in combating floods and potential landslides.

Representatives of the municipalities informed the KS Government firsthand about the current situation in their local communities.

In addition to the municipalities of Ilidža, Trnovo and Novi Grad, flooded settlements and facilities are also present in Ilijaš and Vogošća.

Currently, the least endangered municipalities are Stari Grad, Centar and Novo Sarajevo, which have offered their machinery and equipment to the flooded municipalities for a more successful fight against this natural disaster.

Minister Adnan Delić, who was appointed coordinator of all activities at the KS level by the Government today, stated that it is necessary to establish better communication channels and coordination between the KS, all municipalities, and the federal and cantonal civil protection, all with the aim, as he emphasized, of "unifying forces for a more concrete response, should it be needed tonight and in the coming days".

Minister Adnan Šteta informed the attendees about the current traffic challenges, which are slowly but surely being successfully resolved.

Minister Admir Katica also stated that members of all police administrations, as well as the entire Police Administration, reacted promptly and made themselves available to the population of the endangered areas.

Prime Minister Forto then conveyed to Minister Katica and Commissioner Nusret Selimović the request of the residents of the flooded areas who expressed their fear of potential looting of their abandoned homes, and on their behalf, asked for an increased presence of police officers in the endangered settlements.

"A part of the special purposes unit has just been dispatched to the endangered areas," Commissioner Selimović informed the participants of this evening's meeting.

Director of the KS Civil Protection Administration Dženan Brkanić also informed the attendees about all the activities undertaken by the employees of this administration since last night.

He reminded of the numbers of the operational centers of civil protection, municipal and cantonal, which are available 24 hours a day, every day, continuously for communication in any type of crisis situation.

Minister Delić also suggested to the citizens of KS that their primary communication channel should be the number of the Operational Center of the Cantonal Civil Protection Administration – 121.

"It is extremely important for us to properly and timely distribute the necessary machinery and personnel to all critical points, so that we can react immediately in case of a worsening situation," emphasized Minister Delić.

Immediately after the meeting ended, Minister Delić and representatives of the Civil Protection Administration went to inspect the endangered areas in the municipalities of Novi Grad, Ilidža, Vogošća and Trnovo.