A new problem has been added to the unresolved relations between Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Republic of Croatia, given that the Croatian authorities are planning to build a migrant center on the site of the former Željava military airport, between the Una National Park and Plitvice Lakes. It is a reception center for more than 1,500 migrants.
The Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina is expected to be more actively involved in solving this issue, especially considering that parliamentary questions have already been sent to the chairwoman of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Borjana Krišto. While the authorities generally do not give concrete answers, citizens on both sides of the border express concern about the possible consequences.
Trgovska gora burdens the relations between the two countries
The unresolved issue of Trgovska Gora has burdened the relations between Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Republic of Croatia for years. Although the institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina warn of the risks of storing radioactive waste along the Una River, the policy of ignoring continues. Now Croatia, along the border itself, is planning a new migrant center on Željava. The years of the migrant crisis, chaos in the camps and security challenges are memories that the people of Bišća are reluctant to remember.
“It will fall on us again. Unfortunately, we are not a country of the European Union and it all boils down to that – as long as it is not in my yard”, one of the citizens of Bihać told us.
“I think it’s not good and that something else should be done there,” said another surveyed citizen.
Reactions of the authorities in Bihać
The planned construction of the Reception Center for Migrants in Željava is a new blow to the city, which in previous years bore the brunt of the migrant crisis. The authorities in Bihać are outraged by the lack of reaction from state institutions. They fear that the new center could mean the return of a situation that has already gotten out of control.
“We were once again brought back to the period when we were afraid of what would happen. It is not just a reception center, but a detention center that will serve as a kind of prison,” says the mayor of Bihać, Elvedin Sedić (POMAK).
The construction of the center on Željava is unacceptable, stated Albin Muslić, a state parliamentarian, as well. He directed the initiative to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Chairperson of the Council of Ministers, Borjana Kiršto, to urgently take measures that would prevent construction.
“I am particularly concerned that the chairwoman answered my question about the planned construction that she had no knowledge, which is absolutely unacceptable. We cannot act inert,” says Muslić.
Resistance of citizens in Croatia
And the protests that took place at the end of February on the other side of the Željava in Croatia, in the municipality of Plitvička Jezera, show that the resistance of citizens has already begun. Citizens there also clearly say that they do not want a migrant center in their vicinity.
“If they do that to us, tourism will fail. People have already invested a lot of money in apartments, and tourists are happy to come here,” a local woman tells us.
“If the center is built on Željava, we can close our businesses – there will be nothing from tourism,” concludes one local resident.
And while there are still no concrete answers from the state institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina. On the other hand, the project is already being considered as realistic.
“We are afraid that we are brought before the fait accompli due to strategic decisions and migrant routes. We do not know when construction could begin or whether the decision is final. There is now talk of a temporary center that should position 450 containers on the runway,” said the head of the Municipality of Plitvička Jezera, Hrvoje Matejčić.
“Before the first migrants could potentially come to that location, the authorities of Bosnia and Herzegovina must take concrete legal actions towards the Government of the Republic of Croatia and express a clear position that we are against it,” points out Muslić.
European context and plans
However, according to the statements of the mayor of Bihac, Elvedin Sedić, the temporary reception center on Željava will be formed already in the sixth month of this year.
And this is confirmed by the information we received from Matejčić – that Croatia must at least start building the center this year in order to receive money from the EU for this project and that this is part of Europe’s long-term strategy.
“The European Union actually plans to park the undesirables outside or at the very border of the European Union and then take those they need, or those who will receive approval for asylum,” Sedic said.
Matejčić, however, claims that all is not lost. He adds that they have the right to offer civil resistance in order to protect this area and that Željava must be open to citizens and tourism in order for the decision to build to be accepted.
“Citizens now expect to finally see what the state wants and is looking for and what their conditions are and what we get or don’t get from it,” he said.
While there are no answers, plans are being made, and Željava is becoming a new challenge for Bosnia and Herzegovina, except Trgovska Gora, Federalna writes.
