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Bosnia and Herzegovina – Restrictive measures against refugees and migrants (DG ECHO) (ECHO Daily Flash of 22 October 2019)

Countries
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Sources
ECHO
Publication date
Origin
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  • Since January 2019, over 24,000 asylum seekers and migrants have passed through Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). An estimated 8,000 are still in the country, majority of whom are forced to stay outside.
  • The humanitarian situation in the Una Sana Canton, on the border with Croatia, has further deteriorated in the last days due to the new restrictive measures implemented by the authorities.
    Police forcibly transferred over 2,500 people to the Vucjak camp, which is deemed unsuitable and dangerous by the EU and the humanitarian community at large. Limited services are now overstretched and below international standards. The municipality announced the intention to stop the provision of water and garbage collection. The Red Cross is providing two meals per day.
  • The cantonal authorities are threatening to close the two largest reception centres, with no alternatives proposed.
  • Humanitarian organisations continue to monitor the situation and to prepare contingency plans. The EU has requested that the national authorities identify additional reception facilities and close the Vucjak camp.