Johann Sattler, the EU ambassador in Bosnia and Herzegovina, confirmed that the construction of the temporary detention unit within the Lipa migrant camp in the northwest of the country, is funded by the European Union.

He denied allegations that this is a prison, explaining that the detention unit will serve for the persons who need to undergo further security checks.

Those persons will stay there for up to 72 hours and, if necessary, will then be transported the asylum centre in East Sarajevo.

Sattler stressed that there is no reason for concern and that this is a step forward in the security aspect, especially for the users of the Lipa camp.

Prime minister of the northwestern Una-Sana Canton Mustafa Ruznic and Bihac mayor Elvedin Sedic expressed content over Sattler's explanation, with Ruznic stressing that the migrants who arrive from Croatia on the grounds of the readmission agreement need to be equally distributed to all seven migrant camps across the country.

“Also, we will insist that the readmission process continues to apply with the return of migrants to the Republic of Serbia, all within the legal frameworks,” he stressed.

Sattler's visit to Una-Sana Canton comes days after the local authorities urged the state-level government to act regarding the sudden influx of migrants on the canton's territory and the allegations about migrants who pose a threat and who would be put into the said detention unit.