EU to Support Bosnia Over New Migrant Centre

Jamila Milovic Halilovic, spokesperson of the EU Delegation in Bosnia, told BIRN that the EU had responded already to Bosnia's request for more help in accommodating growing numbers of migrants and refugees - and would help more once Bosnia's authorities had agreed on sites to locate them.

Around 3,000 asylum seekers and refugees are currently in Bosnia's Una Sana Canton, one of the ten cantons in Bosnia's Federation entity, awaiting a decision on where they will be placed.

One solution proposed by Bosnia's Council of Minister is use of an Agrokomerc former cookie factory, which has been out of use for years.

However, Una Sana Canton opposes this idea, saying it will represent a security risk that local police will not be able to handle.

"The quicker the Bosnian authorities are able to do this [agree on suitable holding locations], the quicker the EU can provide its support," the EU spokesperson said.

"The Commission has already allocated 1.5 million euros in humanitarian aid to address the immediate needs of refugees, asylum seekers and migrants [in Bosnia]," Milovic Halilovic recalled.

However, Bosnia's Security Minister, Dragan Mektic, on Wednesday said Bosnia had not received the money yet.

"Some officials are mentioning millions, but we still haven't received a penny to fix the fence where the migrants are based [currently]," Mektic said, promising the temporary provision of tents equipped with air-conditioning and heating before work starts on the Agrokomerc site.

The EU has already invested 24.6 million euros in support of Bosnia in migration and border management since 2007.

According to Milovic Halilovic, this is part of the EU's overall support of 750 million euros provided to Bosnia since 2007,...