Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) has a total of seven helicopters that can fight fires, but no airplanes.
The State Ministry of Defense has five helicopters that can be used when the civil protection of entities or cantons ask them to do so, while the Republican Administration of Civil Protection (RUCZ) of Republika Srpska (RS) has two such helicopters at its disposal – one from the RS Helicopter Service, the other from the entity’s Ministry of Internal Affairs.
In August 2021, the Federal Administration of Civil Protection (FUCZ) expressed the need for the procurement of aircraft for the protection and rescue of people and material goods in the Federation of BiH (FBiH).
In October 2021, the FBiH Government asked the administration for an Elaborate on the procurement of those aircraft, and to propose how the air force would function.
“The government has decided to acquire aircraft for firefighting and other protection and rescue tasks (two air tractors and two helicopters) within the first phase, for which financial resources will be provided in the FBiH budget,” it was stated in the announcement after the session of the entity government.
Who is responsible for what in the field of civil protection?
The Government of the RS and the Government of the FBiH have an agreement according to which the entities’ civil protection units provide each other with all available capacities in emergency situations, says Milan Novitovic.
According to the current laws, the field of civil protection is under the jurisdiction of entities and cantons, i.e. Brcko District.
The Council of Ministers of BiH is responsible for declaring the occurrence or cessation of a natural disaster on the territory of BiH, as well as for seeking and providing international assistance in such situations, Radio Slobodna Evropa writes.
E.Dz.
