At the proposal of the Ministry of Communal Economy, Infrastructure, Spatial Planning, Construction and Environmental Protection, the Government of Sarajevo Canton adopted a decision declaring an air pollution alert for Zone A, which includes the municipalities of Novi Grad, Centar, StariGrad, Novo Sarajevo and Ilidža, while a warning level remains in force in Zones B and C.
This decision was adopted following a report by the expert body responsible for analyzing air quality based on measured pollutant concentrations and the weather forecast for the comingdays.
Measurements conducted in the urban core of the city show that in Zone A the daily average concentration of PM10 particles exceeded the threshold of 200 µg/m³, particularly in the areas of Otoka and Saraj Polje, while elevated levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) were recorded at the Otoka monitoring station.
The current synoptic conditions indicate a lack of wind in the coming days, the presence of temperature inversion mainly during morning and evening hours, as well as fog, all of which contribute to the continued accumulation of air pollutants in the basin areas of Sarajevo Canton.
In line with the Plan of Intervention Measures in cases of excessive air pollution, a number of restrictions have entered into force in Zone A. These include a ban on cars and HDVs with EURO 3 or lower emission standards, with an exemption for vehicles belonging to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, inspection services, defence institutions, public transportoperators, utility companies, vehicles with diplomatic plates,taxis, vehicles for disabled persons, as well as ambulances, firefighters, and civil protection services.
The measures also include a temporary suspension of technological processes generating dust emissions only if technically possible, or their reduction to a technical minimum if full suspension is not possible. In addition, the capacity of environmentally friendly public transport will be increased to the maximum extent, while free public transport or subsidized tickets will be provided during the alert period.
Employers have been advised to follow flexible working hours to enable parents to safely take children to preschool institutions. Where possible, online classes will be organized for students and remote work arrangements introduced for employees. In order to protect public health, public gatherings are temporarily prohibited, including organized outdoor sports and cultural events, as well as all outdoor sports activities, in accordance with relevant cantonal legislation.
The entities obligated to implement the Plan are called on to adhere to the implementation of prescribed measures, in order tojointly contribute to the decrease of pollution, reported from the Protocol Office and Press of Sarajevo Canton.
The decision of the Government of Sarajevo Canton and the Plan of Intervention Measures define all institutions responsible for implementing these measures, including inspection authorities, ministries, economic and business entities, educational institutions and municipalities.
The competent ministry has appealed to citizens to continuously follow health recommendations issued by the Institute for Public Health of Sarajevo Canton, to minimize time spent outdoors and to avoid physical activity during periods of increased air pollution. All entities obliged to implement the Plan have been called upon to strictly adhere to the prescribed measures in order to jointly contribute to reducing pollution, the Sarajevo Canton Protocol and Press Service announced.
