prijava
SARAJEVO, August 16 (FENA) - In the past two weeks, at the request of the FBiH Civil Protection Administration, the Ministry of Security of Bosnia and Herzegovina sent requests to the BiH Ministry of Defense to engage helicopters of the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina to extinguish fires in Neum, Široki Brijeg, Tomislavgrad, Stolac and Jablanica, stated the Ministry of Security of BiH.
A request for help in extinguishing the fires in the area of Mostar was forwarded today.
Having in mind the complexity of the situation with the fires, as well as the blockade to engage helicopters of the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina, on August 14, the Ministry of Security sent a request to the BiH Council of Ministers to hold an emergency telephone session to consider a proposal for international assistance.
Pursuant to the Agreement between BiH and the Republic of Croatia on Cooperation in Protection against Natural Disasters, the Ministry requested assistance in extinguishing forest fires in the border area (Tomislavgrad and Široki Brijeg municipalities) in order to prevent further spread of fire, and two firefighting planes have been engaged at Budim and Rujan.
The application of these agreements is limited because the aircrafts of the signatory countries can extinguish fires in the open in the border area up to ten kilometers.
The Ministry of Security received a request for a helicopter from Montenegro to cross the border of Bosnia and Herzegovina and take water from Lake Bileća, and then return to Montenegro to put out the fire in Banjani near Nikšić. This activity was realized on the basis of the Agreement between BiH and Montenegro on cooperation in protection against natural and civil disasters.
At the same time, the BiH Ministry of Security sent a request for EUFOR assistance for reconnaissance of the area affected by the fires from the air and a possible medical evacuation in case of firefighters being injured in the fires. After the reconnaissance, EUFOR provided photos and information on the size of the fire.
(FENA) S. R.
