On Sunday, ban for cars whose registration ends with an even number

The Operational Staff of the Government of Sarajevo Canton (KS) for the implementation of the Plan of Interventional Measures in cases of excessive air pollution in KS has adopted a Decision to declare the THIRD EPISODE - ALERT, after measurement indicators of air pollutants showed an alarming exceedance of permitted values of PM10 particulate matter. Given that today in Sarajevo Canton the average daily values of the alert threshold for this pollutant of 400 µg3   were exceeded at two reference stations, and that stable weather conditions are expected in the next 48 hours, the Expert Body for Coordination and Supervision gave a recommendation for declaring the mentioned episode – ALERT. The Staff made this decision also due to the fact that there is a trend of increasing average daily values of other monitored pollutants, which is a consequence of the lack of air flow and accumulation of pollutants in the ground layers of the atmosphere.

In accordance with the updated Plan of Interventional Measures in cases of excessive pollution in Sarajevo Canton from 2014, the Operational Staff within this episode orders:

▪ Maximum increase in capacity of public city transport vehicles that do not pollute the environment (trolleybuses and trams);

▪ Warning that all thermal energy production facilities with a power over 1 MW that use natural gas reduce the temperature in the spaces they heat by at least 3ºC;

▪ Temporary restriction on the use of motor vehicles (introduction of the “odd-even” license plate driving system).

From tomorrow (Sunday), December 25, 2016, at 07:00 hours, the measure from the ALERT episode will come into effect, which involves temporarily restricting the use of motor vehicles, i.e., introducing a driving system based on the "odd-even" license plate principle, whereby on that day the ban will apply to vehicles whose license plates end with an even number. The following day, Monday, December 26, 2016, from 00:00 hours, the ban will apply to vehicles whose license plates end with an odd number, and so on alternately as long as the ALERT episode is in effect. This measure does not apply to police vehicles, inspection bodies, the Ministry of Defense, public city transport, utility companies, vehicles with diplomatic plates, and emergency vehicles;

▪ School classes will be organized to avoid crowds in public city transport as much as possible, if necessary suspend classes, adjust employee working hours, and possibly exempt at-risk population groups from work obligations;

They note that all measures from the previously declared FIRST and SECOND EPISODES - PREPAREDNESS AND WARNING of December 7 and 23, 2016, remain in effect. Within the ordered measures, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Sarajevo Canton will undertake activities within its jurisdiction.

- Ban on vehicle movement (on the route Baščaršija - Ilidža, in both directions), whose gasoline engines have a standard lower than EURO 1 or diesel engines with a standard lower than EURO 3, with enhanced police controls. This does not apply to police vehicles, inspection, Ministry of Defense, public city transport, public utility companies, vehicles with diplomatic plates, and emergency vehicles.

- Traffic ban for freight motor vehicles with a maximum permissible mass over 3.5 tons on the main city longitudinal route from Baščaršija to Nedžarići (in both directions), with traffic redirected to alternative routes. This does not apply to emergency vehicles and delivery vehicles for food products.

Technical regulation and traffic redirection to alternative routes during the ban will be carried out using temporary traffic signs and equipment, signals, and orders given by police officers of the MUP of Sarajevo Canton.

It is also emphasized that all legal and natural persons who do not comply with the prescribed measures are subject to sanctions defined by the Decision on Protection and Improvement of Air Quality in KS (Official Gazette of KS number 23/16), and legal entities will be fined amounts from 1,000 to 5,000 KM, and individuals from 500 to 1,000 KM.

An appeal was also repeated to citizens of Sarajevo Canton, especially vulnerable categories such as pregnant women, children, the elderly, and chronic patients, to minimize their movement and stay outdoors in the coming days.

The Operational Staff continuously monitors the development of the situation and will, if necessary, take other available measures that it assesses may contribute to improving air quality, about which the public will be informed in a timely manner.