The European Union allocated an additional 3.5 million euros ($4.2 million) to Bosnia-Herzegovina on Sunday to provide better housing for the hundreds of migrants currently left without shelter in harsh, wintry weather, DPA reported. More than 1,700 people in the canton of Una Sana lack proper shelter, European Commissioner for Foreign Affairs Josep Borrell and Civil Protection Commissioner Janez Lenarcic said on Sunday in Brussels. Some 800 are living outdoors in the cold, including children. Borrell called the situation in Una Sana "completely unacceptable" and said that humane conditions should be guaranteed at all times. "Winter-proof accommodations are a pre-requisite for humane living conditions, which need to be ensured at all times. Local authorities need to make existing facilities available and provide a temporary solution until Lipa camp is rebuilt into a permanent facility. "However, long-term solutions are urgently needed. We urge the authorities not to leave people out in the cold, without access to sanitary facilities in the midst of a global pandemic," he added. The EU's humanitarian aid would provide people with the most basic necessities, he said, adding that longer-term solutions were urgently needed. Brussels said the funds will help migrants and refugees "facing a humanitarian disaster" by financing warm clothing, blankets, food, healthcare and mental health and psychological support. The Lipa camp, in the northeastern Una Sana canton, burned down on Dec. 23 as it was being closed. The facility had been opened months earlier as a temporary pandemic measure and was not suitable for the harsh winter conditions as it has no sewage, running water or electricity. About 900 of the camp's 1,400 former residents were meant to be rehoused in centers around the country but were told to return to the burned down camp on Dece. 30 despite the freezing conditions. Additionally, about 1,000 people, including children, live in squats and forests near the camp. The funds will add to the €4.5 million the Commission already allocated in April and brings Brussels' humanitarian assistance for migrants and refugees in Bosnia and Herzegovina to €13.8 million since 2018. More than 5,400 refugees and migrants are currently accommodated in temporary reception centers in Bosnia and Herzegovina following an influx of people hoping to cross into the EU in recent years. A migrant reception in Bihac, near the Lipa camp, was closed down in September due to local opposition. The outcry over the conditions at Lipa prompted the Bosnian authorities to deploy the military to set up tents on Jan. 1. — Agencies
