SARAJEVO – With winter approaching and thousands of migrants and refugees in Bosnia and Herzegovina living outside of adequate facilities, the European Commission yesterday announced an additional €2 million in humanitarian aid. This brings EU humanitarian aid in the country to €5.8 million since 2018.
Christos Stylianides, Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management, stated that the aid will focus on emergency healthcare and protection and distribute sleeping bags, warm jackets, food and medicines.
“It is crucial that the authorities urgently provide additional accommodation to ensure safe and dignified living conditions for migrants and refugees in the country”, he stressed.
According to estimates, there are between 6,000 to 8,000 refugees and migrants in need of assistance currently in the country, mostly in the Una-Sana Canton. Due to the lack of accommodation capacities, nearly half of the migrants and refugees are living outside of the facilities. Approximately, 3,300 are accommodated in five EU-funded temporary reception centres.
Since 2018, the EU has contributed so far €36 million to address the refugee crisis in the country, which includes over €30 million of special measure funding announced in 2018 and 2019 under the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance.