Bosnian authorities will do their best to accommodate the large number of migrants living in the open in the Sarajevo Canton and the Una-Sana Canton, Prime Minister Denis Zvizdic said after a government meeting on Monday.

“Very soon, if not urgently, we will find adequate accommodation for migrants,” he said, adding that there are already places which can accommodate enough people.  

The meeting was also attended by Security Minister Dragan Mektic, Economic Relations and Foreign Trade Minister Mirko Sarovic, the director of the Service for Foreigners’ Affairs, Slobodan Ujic and US Ambassador to Bosnia, Maureen Cormack.  

“Beginning of May, the number of migrants entering Bosnia has increased from 60 to more than 100 daily, and because of Bosnia’s past, we want to keep humanity and a humane approach towards them, but we also want to keep a certain level of security,” Zvizdic said.  

Bosnia’s Coordination body will become the institution responsible for tackling the flow of migrants through the country, Zvizdic said.  

At the meeting, Bosnia’s institutions exchanged information on the migrant situation and analyzed the issues and necessary steps that need to be taken for the adoption of an integral document regarding the activities.  

Those without accommodation in the two mentioned cantons will be accommodated “in a humane way,” and Bosnia will continue to cooperate with surrounding countries and “use their good practice” in tackling the issue, Zvizdic said, adding that the country expects expert, technical and “especially financial help” for accepting refugees.