The Chair of Bosnia’s Council of Ministers, Borjana Kristo, has officially applied to the European Union Solidarity Fund (EUSF) to address damages caused by severe floods that struck the country in October.

The floods, driven by heavy rainfall and extreme weather, resulted in substantial material damage, including landslides and torrents that claimed lives and caused partial or total destruction of residential, transport, water, and utility infrastructure in the most affected regions. Central, southern, and western parts of the country were particularly impacted, leaving long-term effects on local communities, the economy, and the population.

“This marks a historic moment for Bosnia and Herzegovina, as it is the first time our country has applied for assistance from this crucial European solidarity mechanism. The EUSF application is the outcome of intensive work by the Application Preparation Team, established by the Council of Ministers of BiH at the initiative of the Chair. The team included representatives from the Chair’s Office, state ministries of security and finance and treasury, the Directorate for European Integration, the Directorate for Economic Planning, the Statistics Council of BiH, and civil protection agencies from the entities,” the Council of Ministers stated.

Additionally, coordinators from the Federation of BiH entity, cantonal governments, and local teams from municipalities such as Mostar, Jablanica, Konjic, Fojnica, Kresevo, Kiseljak, Breza, Visoko, Vares, and Drvar contributed to the process.

The application’s preparation was a complex and intensive effort, supported by experts from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) in Croatia, Slovenian specialists backed by the World Bank, and domestic experts from faculties of civil engineering in Banja Luka, Sarajevo, and Mostar.

Support also came from the governments of Croatia and Slovenia, which provided their resources to facilitate the successful completion of the application.

By applying within the designated timeframe, Bosnia and Herzegovina reaffirmed its commitment to transparent and effective management of EUSF resources.