Minister Hrnjić with Civil Protection – Focus on drought in agriculture and active forest fires

Federal Minister of Agriculture, Water Management and Forestry Kemal Hrnjić met with the acting director of the Federal Administration for Civil Protection Aldin Brašnjić at the headquarters of the Federal Administration for Civil Protection.

Accompanied by their associates, they discussed ways of improving the cooperation in the field of fire prevention and protection, with special focus on forest fires, as well as the modernization of equipment and increasing the capacities of bodies responsible for saving people and protecting material goods.

They also discussed the improvement of procedures and coordination related to the assessment and recording of damage in agriculture caused by natural and other disasters. They pointed out the need for more efficient procedures and better coordination of competent institutions, in order to further improve the process of ascertaining damage and exchanging data and to make it more efficient for agricultural producers and competent authorities.

One of the conclusions is for the line federal ministry to send a letter today to the Civil Protection, asking them to consider declaring a natural disaster in the territory of the Federation of BiH.

The possibilities of joint participation in projects that the ministry and the administration implement in cooperation with international partners were also discussed. It was agreed that there is room for intensifying cooperation and joint application to projects aimed at strengthening the protection and rescue system, risk prevention and response to natural and other disasters.

The meeting also discussed the possibility of activating funds earmarked for protection and rescue, whose use is currently limited by the existing legal framework. They considered possible solutions so that available funds could be mobilized for the protection and rescue system improvement.

Minister Hrnjić and Brašnjić agreed that strengthening institutional cooperation, preventive action and technical capacities is of particular importance for timely action and efficient protection of people, natural resources and material goods, as well as for more efficient handling in cases of damages in agriculture.