More than 300 people have been fined so far with 500 Bosnian Marks each for breaching the movement restrictions in Canton Sarajevo, the Spokesperson of the Canton Interior Ministry, Mirza Hadziabdic, told reporters on Thursday.

Authorities in Bosnia introduced in March a series of measures to contain COVID-19, including curfews and a complete movement ban for minors and people older than 65.

The curfew in Canton Sarajevo lasts from 8 pm to 5 am.

More than 20 seniors have been sanctioned while misdemeanour procedures were initiated against five minors for disobeying the ban.

Hadziabdic said that the parents of the minors could also face misdemeanours for failure to provide due care if it is determined that this is the reason for the offence and they will be fined between 400 and 1,200 Bosnian Marks, he said.

Police are enforcing the order and are not competent to interpret it or make any exceptions, he said, appealing to citizens to fully respect the measures and adding that those not doing so are also risking the health of their children.

“We understand the need to take children outside, but we must obey the orders which are binding for all except in extraordinary cases which are only those that require urgency,” he said, explaining that exceptions only apply to children who must urgently be taken to a health care institution.

Police will also soon begin implementing measures of forced isolation in regard to all those who disobey isolation orders, he said.