The Prime Minister of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Nermin Niksic, acknowledged the need to change the current system for rescue operations, admitting it is inadequate. The call comes in response to recent floods and landslides that impacted several areas in October 2024, prompting a push for legal reforms aimed at more effective rescue and protection efforts.

Niksic emphasized that a new law is necessary to make rescue operations in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina more effective. This statement was made alongside the release of a report detailing actions taken to protect and rescue people and property during the floods and landslides between October 4 and 15, 2024.

“With the report now documented, the Prime Minister has essentially admitted that the existing system is flawed and needs urgent changes,” writes Bljesak.info.

The report presented by Prime Minister Niksic to parliament assigns responsibility to the Federal Civil Protection Administration to urgently prepare amendments to the Law on Protection and Rescue of People and Property from Natural and Other Disasters.

The current protection and rescue system, according to Niksic's report, is not functioning as it should. He highlighted that the law needs to be changed to provide “more precise and clear regulation for how the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina can effectively respond during declared natural or other disasters.”

The October floods and landslides in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina once again demonstrated that preparations at the local, cantonal, and federal levels of government need urgent improvement. There must be timely preventive measures to avoid dangers and disasters, and, in the event of such incidents, all human and material resources must be promptly deployed according to protection and rescue plans, Niksic stated.

In the document, Niksic also acknowledged deficiencies in public procurement regulations, calling for changes to make the system more functional during emergencies. These changes would include adjustments to the procedures for urgent procurements during rescue operations and the engagement of material resources to implement protective measures and address the aftermath of disasters.

The report also included details on the impact of the recent floods and the scale of the damage. In Jablanica, 163 households were directly affected, with the hardest-hit communities being Zlate and Donja Jablanica, home to around 651 residents. Approximately 300 people were evacuated from their homes. In Konjic, 200 households were impacted, with significant damage in Buturovic Polje, Dzanic, Pasovici, Jasenik, and Neretvica, affecting about 2,000 residents in total.

In Kiseljak, floods impacted 500 households, with major damage in Visnjica Polje, Ljetovik, Mjehovica, Center, Podastinje, Gomionica, Radanovici, Podkraj, and Lepenica, affecting around 5,000 residents, including over 1,000 elderly individuals.

In Fojnica, around 170 households were affected, with the worst-hit areas being Bakovici, Gojevici, Dusina, Zimije, and Scitovo, which are home to over 2,000 residents. Kresevo saw 100 households impacted, with major damage in Kresevo and Dezevice, where over 1,200 people reside. In Drvar, 15 households were affected, but no humanitarian needs were reported.

Data from local Red Cross organizations estimate that a total of 1,148 households were affected by the natural disaster across the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The estimated total damage in the Central Bosnia Canton was 55,200,000 KM, with 20,000,000 KM in Fojnica, 12,000,000 KM in Kiseljak, and 23,000,000 KM in Kresevo.

The total estimated damage in the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton was 123,281,000 KM, with 5,161,000 KM in Mostar, 46,920,000 KM in Jablanica, and 71,200,000 KM in Konjic. In Zenica-Doboj Canton, the estimated damage was 100,000 KM, while in Canton 10, it was 400,000 KM, specifically in Drvar.

Additionally, according to the Federal Ministry of Transport and Communications, damage to railway infrastructure on the Ostrozac-Jablanica-Grabovica line was estimated at 3,750,000 KM, and damage to main roads M17, M16.2, and M17.5 amounted to 21,500,000 KM.