Republika Srpska (RS) entity’s National Assembly decided to form a National Park Drina on the area of Srebrenica Municipality, but a group of Srebrenica residents are against this decision, saying it denies them liberties.

According to the decision of the National Assembly of RS, a Serb dominated, semi-autonomous entity in Bosnia and Herzegovina, most of the Srebrenica Municipality would be used for the creation of this park.

The residents, who are mostly Bosniaks, say they are looking for solutions to this problem but they also announced protests. Locals of the local communities located in the National Park “Drina” worry that their private property will become part of the National Park.

“Nobody asked us about the national park. We agree with the idea of a national park, but we don’t agree with our private property being used for the national park,” said Mirsad Sinanovic from Urisici Local Community.

On the other hand, the Director of the National Park “Drina” said that the national park is limiting only to the people who are trying to get out of the national park what does not belong to them.

“There are three protection zones. There are almost no residents in the first zone, it is a hunting ground Susica, which was previously protected. Construction and logging are prohibited there. A total of 80 percent of the national park belongs to the second and third zones, where the population is situated and where they are engaged in agriculture, livestock farming, tourism and this is the area that will continue to be available to the people living and working here,” said Dragan Glisic.

Those who disagree with the plans for the National Park “Drina” say they will defend their land and express their dissatisfaction during the protests in Srebrenica.