Representatives of the Ministry of Security of B&H, cantonal and city authorities, the European Union, as well as all international organizations involved in the migration process in our country, attended today's opening of the newly built reception center at Lipa site near Bihać.
Lipa reception center should now significantly reduce the pressure of a large number of migrants and refugees on the city center, i.e. public areas and abandoned buildings in the center of Bihać.
- This primarily confirms that the authorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina, despite the political crisis, can do what is expected of them, and I hope that through dialogue and compromise they will continue to solve and overcome all complex problems. Also, a humane approach prevailed, or to be more precise - these people in need were guaranteed the right to be treated humanely. First of all, I must thank the citizens of Bihać, who have really shown empathy in the past. The European Union has invested 1.7 million euros in the multi-purpose reception center 'Lipa', while the other half of the necessary funds were provided by our international partners Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Italy. This is just another proof that we are all working together to help Bosnia and Herzegovina - said Head of the European Union Delegation to B&H, Ambassador Johann Sattler.
The modernized reception center has an accommodation capacity for about 1,500 people, and was formed as a container settlement with provided drinking water, electricity and all other necessities for dignified accommodation and stay of people in need. A special area in this container settlement is provided for vulnerable categories of service users, i.e. families with children and unaccompanied minors.
Prime Minister of the Una-Sana Canton Mustafa Ružnić and Mayor of Bihać Šuhret Fazlić especially emphasized the importance of maximum engagement of the B&H Ministry of Security and other competent institutions in B&H, considering that more efficient control of migrants' movement, coordination of activities on the ground and management of temporary reception centers.
The camp will be managed by members of the Service for Foreigners’ Affairs of B&H, in cooperation with members of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and other international organizations. Assistance for the security of the camp itself will be provided by the Directorate for Coordination of Police Bodies with the support and engagement of the Ministry of the Interior of the Una-Sana Canton (USC MoI).
