prijava
SARAJEVO, March 22 (FENA) - A Memorandum of Understanding between the EUFOR), NATO Headquarters in Sarajevo and the Ministry of Civil Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which will provide the Ministry of Civil Affairs with air footage taken after the conflict in BiH, to be used for demining purposes, was signed today in Sarajevo.
The Memorandum was signed by Minister of Civil Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina Adil Osmanović, EUFOR Commander Anton Waldner and NATO HQ Sarajevo Commander Robert Huston.
The air footage of geographical areas in BiH will be used by the Mine Action Center for the implementation of the project "State Assessment of Mine Suspected Areas in BiH 2018-2019", financed by the European Union.
The provided images were made after 1995 at sites where minefields were set or in areas with mine-explosive devices that remained there after the war. These are some 800 pieces of air footage that show 48 locations in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Osmanović said that the footage in question would provide a better insight into the situation in the areas contaminated with mine-explosive devices as remnants of the recent war.
General Huston stressed that the NATO Headquarters in Sarajevo, together with its EUFOR counterparts, is pleased that they can help partners in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Ministry of Civil Affairs and the Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Mine Action Center, in order to achieve the goal of Bosnia and Herzegovina free of landmines.
EUFOR Commander Anton Walder also emphasized the commitment to support the authorities of Bosnia and Herzegovina in maintaining a safe and stable environment.
“EUFOR is pleased to be able to participate in the project "State Assessment of Mine Suspected Areas in BiH 2018-2019" and thus demonstrate the EU's comprehensive approach towards maintaining a safe and stable environment in BiH on the path to its European future,"said Walder.
The current size of the mine suspected, hazardous area in BiH is 1.061,32 km2, or 2.2 per cent of the total area of BiH, and it is estimated that landmines and cluster munition pose a threat to 129 cities or municipalities.
In 2017, there were four landmine related accidents in Bosnia and Herzegovina, involving seven people, of whom three were killed, stated the BiH Ministry of Civil Affairs.
(FENA) S. R.
