Authorities from BiH’s Republika Srpska (RS) entity have requested approval for the engagement of helicopters from the Interior Ministry of neighbouring Serbia, as the wildfire that has been raging in Zelengora for two days is now threatening to engulf the National Park 'Sutjeska'.

Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations Stasa Kosarac asked Ministers Zukan Helez, Elmedin Konakovic and Edin Forto to urgently request helicopters from the Ministry of the Interior of Serbia to help put out the fire.

“Helez, Konakovic and Forto urgently need to stop political manipulation and populism, because now is really not the time for that,” said Kosarac, stressing that the situation is alarming and that the RS Helicopter Service needs.

Kosarac claims that the spread of the fire can only be stopped by engaging helicopters from Serbia which are better equipped to deal with the fire than the helicopters of BiH’s Armed Force.

“If consent is not given for the engagement of helicopters from Serbia, the National Park ‘Sutjeska’ could suffer damage of unfathomable proportions. We must not allow that!”, he stated.

BiH’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Elmedin Konakovic, commented on the issue on social media, stating that he is in constant contact with Defence Minister Helez.

“Helicopters of the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina are ready for interventions and extinguishing fires in every part of our country. They have shown efficiency and skill in the past weeks. We appeal to all responsible officials in our country to address our forces and institutions first, and only after that the institutions of others. In cases where we cannot respond alone, we can all together request additional help,” he said.

A hundred-year-old coniferous forest is burning in Tjentiste and numerous teams on the ground have been trying to put it under control for more than 48 hours.