Nothing new for Sarajevo, nothing less cause for concern for the citizens. For days, the polluted air led the capital of our country to the unenviable first position on world lists. Today, the situation is somewhat better, but not thanks to the system and specific solutions. There is nothing of that for now, and judging by the announcements of the authorities, we will face the same problem again in the winter.
The capital of our country in recent days was convincingly the first – but in terms of unhealthy air. Sarajevo with a pollution index of 370, which is characterized as very unhealthy, was ahead of Calcutta in India and Dhaka in Bangladesh, which are otherwise known for this problem. There are many reasons for this position.
“The problems now are dust, small particles PM 10 and PM 2.1, due to unplanned construction, settlement, construction of tall buildings. The Canton of Sarajevo can, it’s not much, allocate two percent of its budget in 10 years – that’s nothing, and many things can be done,” points out Martin Tais, a physicist and climate change expert.
“I cannot change the geographical position, but we are investing in city traffic, warming public buildings, and changing individual fire pits. All this is a parallel process that will not end until 2026, but will reduce pollution to an acceptable level,” said Nihad Uk, Prime Minister of the Canton Sarajevo.
So, at least three more years. When his prime ministership expires. Lack of vision or will? Experts say – there must be a strategy. The ad hoc solutions that we used most often, in the long run, have no effect.
“We realized that since 1967, when Emerik Blum was a visionary and introduced gas, invested huge funds in Sarajevo, we got rid of the problem of sulfur dioxide. We need a long-term vision, not four years, while they are in power,” adds Tais.
Without a strategy and vision, with expensive energy and inflation on the rise. That is why we have consequences, which – warns the profession – can be deadly. Polluted air is one of the first causes of lung cancer, and children are the most vulnerable category.
“Even the healthiest people in their best years of life cannot fight against this because in the lungs you have a synaptic nervous system where in contact with sulfur dioxide, with pollutant particles, with the acid products of smog, irritation of that vagal part occurs. Bronchospasm occurs, the lungs contract,” explains pulmonologist dr. Edo Selimić.
A vicious circle that, unfortunately, we are all used to. Including the authorities who, from mandate to mandate, have not done anything specific about this problem. Citizens are rightly disappointed, they find immediate salvation in the surrounding mountains, but when they return to the city and reality, they are greeted by smog.
