Our country faces fires every year. Thirty million marks were planned for the procurement of canards in the budget of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Funds for the procurement of aerial firefighting aircraft were diverted to other purposes. Instead, the Government of FBiH allocated seven and a half million marks for the repair of helicopters of the Federal Police Administration (FUP) and the rental of firefighting aircraft.
Herzegovina-Neretva County is a climate subject to numerous natural disasters. It is the most loaded in terms of outdoor fires. Sixty percent of the total fires in the Federation occur mainly in this county. Therefore, firefighters, who often fight with fire in inaccessible areas, have been appealing for the acquisition of aircraft for years.
“To finally get that air tractor for our county, therefore, it is clear that our county is the most burdened as far as open space fires are concerned, we have all the infrastructure in Mostar for the air force, for the fire department, so all the conditions for the procurement of air tractors in our county,” Petar Juric, commander of the Professional Fire Brigade Mostar, said.
However, the Government of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina has given up on the original intention of procuring fire-fighting aircraft.
“At the moment, there is no planned procurement of canards. What is planned in the budget is four million for the repair of the helicopter of the Federal Police Administration, which would make it suitable for firefighting. Also, three and a half million marks are available for the rental of aircraft for firefighting,” they said from the Office of the FBiH Prime Minister Nermin Nikšić.
The fire service states that renting aircraft due to bureaucratic procedures often calls into question a timely and adequate response on the ground.
“We now have helicopters that we use from the army of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the procedure for their use is so complicated that their efficiency is extremely reduced. While we fill out the forms, while we write the request, while we find whom to send, then one operational center, another, the Federation, the Ministry of security, the Presidency, and then to the Ministry of Defense, by the time it reaches the field, it is usually too late,” Juric adds.
When it comes to canards, the position of the Government of the Federation is that their maneuvering space for filling with water in the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina is limited.
Therefore, the planned way of rehabilitating the existing helicopter of the Federal Police Administration and renting the aircraft, according to experts’ estimates, is currently much more profitable and faster.
