Unista is the only village in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) that can only be reached through the Republic of Croatia, but since there is no border crossing, any entry or exit from the village is a violation. Isolation creates big problems for the few returnees who are rebuilding their houses by themselves, and they still don’t have water.
Marija Grizelj was one of the first to return to Unista. She renovated the house in the west of BiH with her husband.
They engage in agriculture and get their water from wells or buy in Croatia.
“Five years ago, there was a shop here, with a van, and for five years – no one visits us. No one came to us for four or five years. These old people are in the worst situation.”
This village belongs to Bosansko Grahovo, but the locals find everything they need in Kijev, Knin, and other Croatian municipalities where many of them were registered before the war.
Slavko Galiot, president of the local community Unista commented this case and said:
“When the village had to be rebuilt, the fact that people were registered in Croatia in 1991 has now become a nuisance for them. ”
The State of BiH has not renovated any houses because the residences are at Croatian addresses and the municipality of Bosansko Grahovo has no funds.
Currently, the focus is on the construction of the water supply system, a joint project between Bosansko Grahovo and Kijev.
Dragisa Kovacevic, the assistant to the mayor of Bosansko Grahovo municipality, told: “Grahovo municipality is a poor returnee municipality, with a very modest budget, but it provided help within its capabilities.”
The entry of Croatia into the Schengen Area did not significantly change the regime for the locals of Unista. Legal entry and exit from the village are not possible, Slobodna Evropa reports.
