Organized by the Biotechnical Faculty of the University of Bihać, a scientific and professional conference “Trgovska gora – an unacceptable location for a radioactive waste disposal site” was held, which brought together the academic community, representatives of the cantonal authorities and institutions, and experts in the field of environmental protection and public health.
The conference aimed to present the latest scientific analyses and position expert arguments in the long-standing institutional fight against the construction of a radioactive waste disposal site on Trgovska gora.
As emphasized during the conference, the Una-Sana Canton remains completely united in its position that the construction of such a facility would directly endanger the safety of the population and natural resources, especially the Una River basin.
The Government of the Una-Sana Canton financially supported the organization of the conference through the Ministry of Construction, Physical Planning and Environmental Protection, with a special focus on the research segment conducted by the Biotechnical Faculty.
The research covers two key topics, including “The impact of a potential radioactive waste disposal site on the occurrence and development of chronic and cancer diseases in the population of the Una-Sana Canton” and “The impact of a potential disposal site on the mental health of residents of the border area”.
The Prime Minister of the Una-Sana Canton, Mustafa Ružnić, emphasized that today’s meeting is another confirmation of the joint and long-term fight against this project.
“I am glad that we, as the Government, together with the Government of the Federation and other institutions, have supported such a scientific meeting. It is especially important to me that our University and the academic community are sending a clear message to citizens in a professional and thorough manner that we will persevere in this fight that has been going on since 1999. The lives of our citizens and the safety of our natural resources, especially the Una River basin, are not and will never be a negotiable category for us,” said Prime Minister Ružnić.
Strong institutional support was also provided by the Chairman of the USC Assembly, Nisvet Jusić, emphasizing that the position of the Assembly is clear and unchanged.
“The USC Assembly absolutely supports everything that is being done today at this scientific conference. Trgovska gora is not an acceptable location for the disposal of nuclear and radioactive waste because of what this area means to the citizens of the Una-Sana Canton, Bosnia and Herzegovina, but also to the residents of Croatia in the border area. From the first day, we have taken a clear position, held thematic sessions, and today we give full support to the scientific and academic community in defining expert measures that the state of BiH will use through all legal mechanisms to protect our rights,” Jusić emphasized.
The scientific and expert conference in Bihać represents another step in strengthening the common institutional front against the disposal of radioactive waste on Trgovska gora, and the results of the research of the Biotechnical Faculty will be part of the future legal, expert and international argumentation of Bosnia and Herzegovina in this case, it was announced during the conference.
