Stressing the inhumane conditions she witnessed in the Vucjak migrant camp in Northern Bosnia, Council of Europe Human Rights Commissioner Dunja Mijatovic said Tuesday that she was ashamed that this is happening in Bosnia and Herzegovina and warned that the migrants there will start dying soon.
“This is shameful for Bosnia and Herzegovina. These conditions are inhumane. This is shameful and I can't believe that such a thing was formed in Bosnia – not to mention our history and everything we went through as refugees. The camp must be closed, today,” Mijatovic stressed after visiting the migrant camp. “These people must be provided with a warm place to stay, where they will get a meal and where they will have an opportunity for their applications to be properly processed.”
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She added that she will hold a press conference on Friday after speaking to the authorities from different government levels.
Mijatovic noted she was completely shocked by the severity of the situation in Vucjak.
“The situation in Vucjak is something completely new for us. I've never seen such a thing in my long career and I've been to various camps. I'm ashamed that this is happening in my country. This was not something I expected as a Commissioner, or as a person coming from Bosnia. Again, I am ashamed of this,” Mijatovic stressed.
The CoE Human Rights Commissioner called for the closure of camp Vucjak “because people will start dying. Who would be responsible for that then,” Mijatovic asked at the end of her address in this camp.
Commissioner Mijatovic is staying in Bosnia where she will also visit the Bira and Sedra shelters in Bihac and Cazin, as well as the Usivak migrant centre near Sarajevo.
She plans to hold meetings with representatives of state and cantonal authorities, as well as international organizations and non-governmental organizations dealing with migration.
She will present her preliminary observations at a press conference scheduled for Friday, December 6.
