Bosnian State authorities have banned Aid Brigade, an international group of volunteers, from providing aid to migrants in and around the capital, stating ‘volunteering under a tourist visa’ and ‘disturbance of peace’ as some of the reasons.

“The community centre premises were visited by approximately 20 armed SFA (Service for Foreigners Affairs) and Bosnian police officers who requested the immediate closure of the premises. The international volunteers present on site were taken to the SFA office and banned from the country for reasons including ‘disturbance of peace’, ‘providing assistance to migrants and refugees’ and ‘volunteering under a tourist visa’,” the Aid Brigade wrote on their Facebook account.

They said they would no longer provide aid services, including the provision of food, first aid, legal referrals, and psychological support from May 22.

“After waiting for a reply for five months, our request to become an official NGO was denied on the same day. It seems unsafe for local and international volunteers to be assisting refugees in or around Sarajevo, therefore we had no other choice but to stop all of our activities immediately until further notice,” they wrote.

Expressing regret for not being able to provide their services any longer, the group added they always aimed to work together with government institutions to provide help where it’s most needed and are very sad this now comes to an end.

“Although we are no longer allowed to help refugees in Sarajevo, we will continue to do what we believe is right elsewhere – providing humanitarian assistance to people in desperate need. We will not stop standing in solidarity with all those who have lost their homes, families and future. We say goodbye to Sarajevo, the city that has become our home,” the group concluded in their Facebook post.

Over the past two years, Bosnia found itself on the new European migrant route. Migrants trying to get to western European countries are entering the country mostly from Serbia and Montenegro and heading to Bosnia’s northern-most cities of Bihac and Velika Kladusa – the closest to the border with Croatia.

There, they are faced with Croatia’s border police that is much better equipped than their Bosnian colleagues and prevent migrants from entering their territory much better. This forces the migrants to flock to overcrowded centres.

According to Bosnia’s Security Minister, Dragan Mektic, Bosnia can expect close to 25,000 new migrants in 2019, which is around the same number as last year and the State Border Police said they expect new migrants when Drina river’s water levels drop.