Helicopters of the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina are ready for aerial firefighting operations and can operate as soon as the Ministry of Security of Bosnia and Herzegovina submits a request and the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina approves their engagement.
Prompted by a request from Republika Srpska, which was sent to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina and forwarded to the Ministry of Defense of Bosnia and Herzegovina, requesting the use of helicopters from the neighboring Republic of Serbia to extinguish fires in the area of Trebinje, Minister of Defense of Bosnia and Herzegovina Zukan Helez notes that “it is incorrect to ask for help from neighbors, if own resources from Bosnia and Herzegovina are available for this task”.
“In accordance with the Framework Law on Protection and Rescue in the Case of Natural Disasters and Other Accidents, the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina have the obligation to provide assistance to civil authorities. The Armed Forces of our country have at their disposal two crews and two helicopters to engage in firefighting and are fully ready to fulfill their constitutional and legal obligations,” Helez pointed out.
Regarding the request for help from foreign countries, Article 7 of the Framework Law on the Protection and Rescue of People and Material Assets from Natural or Other Disasters in BiH specifies that international help can be requested when one’s own forces and means cannot adequately respond to a natural or other disaster.
“I expect that the authorities will send the request and that the BiH Presidency will approve the engagement of the resources of the Armed Forces of BiH and thereby act in the best way with the aim of providing support to our citizens,” Helez said.
He emphasized that the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina have two crews and two helicopters with winches and fire buckets, with a capacity of 1,000 liters, and are fully prepared for firefighting tasks.
“The armed forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina belong to everyone, Bosniaks, Serbs, Croats and every other citizen of Bosnia and Herzegovina equally and are ready to serve them,” Helez concluded.
According to the procedure, in case of danger from natural disasters and disasters, citizens should contact local civil protection centers. The relevant center further forwards the request, through the entity centers of civil protection, to the Center for Crisis Situations of the Ministry of Security of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which is responsible for contacting the Ministry of Defense of Bosnia and Herzegovina regarding the engagement and use of resources of the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Upon receipt of the request, the Minister of Defense of Bosnia and Herzegovina requests from the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina the approval to engage the resources of the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina on that task, AA writes.
