Zenica Mayor Fuad Kasumovic announced a lawsuit against a local factory in this central Bosnian town which he named a culprit for the floods that hit the town and areas surrounding it.

The City of Zenica declared on Sunday the state of natural disaster following the floods caused by heavy rain and melting snow.

According to the mayor, ArcelorMittal company, which is in charge of maintaining a canal that could not handle all the incoming water, is to blame for the flooding in Tetovo settlement.

“We declared the state of natural disaster. I have been on the ground for seven hours, I’m visiting all the locations. The damage was caused by idleness of (Arcelor) Mittal because there is a canal they’re supposed to maintain. Unfortunately, over two metres of mud accumulated there and the canal is spilling back everything that led to the flooding of the houses,” said the mayor.

“The city’s public attorney will be tasked to create a lawsuit tomorrow, and prior to that a commission will come to assess the damage once the water pulls back, and we will sue (Arcelor) Mittal, you can be sure about that,” he added.