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900 refugees living in the open since the previous week will be accommodated in the city of Bihac. The cantonal authorities are against it.
On Thursday, the government of Bosnia and Herzegovina asked the authorities of the Una-Sana canton, near the Croatian border, to take in some 900 refugees from the former Lipa refugee camp, who have been living outdoors since the previous week , in Bihac. According to the government, the housing should take place in the hall of the abandoned Bira factory. This had previously served as a refugee camp.
Cantonal authorities immediately rejected the request, Bosnian media reported. According to the state government, housing in Bira would only be a temporary solution. The Lipa refugee camp, about 30 kilometers from Bihac, which was abandoned the previous week, will be adapted in April 2021 for a suitable stay for the refugees.
Popular protests
The government’s request came after an attempt to host the refugees in Bradina, near Konjic, failed due to protests by the local population on Wednesday.
The Ministry of Security warned, according to the Internet portal “Klix.ba”, of a further deterioration of the humanitarian situation. All competent institutions must take action “without delay” to prevent this, the Security Ministry said in a broadcast.
Around 16,000 migrants were registered in Bosnia-Herzegovina this year. But only a fraction of them wanted to stay in the country, the majority wanted to continue to the EU.
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