KUZMIĆ: WE CONTINUE INVESTMENTS IN WATER MANAGEMENT

BIJELJINA, MARCH 16 /SRNA/ – The Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management of Republika Srpska Anđelka Kuzmić stated that the continuation of construction and completion of the Drina embankment is absolute priority in order to provide permanent protection for Semberija from high water levels of the Drina, as well as the revitalization of all pumping stations along the Sava River.

"Over the past 15 years, Republika Srpska has made significant progress in the rehabilitation and construction of water management facilities to raise the level of functionality of the flood protection system, but in the coming period it is necessary to implement a number of additional capital and systemic measures in order to bring the system for protection against the harmful effects of water in Republika Srpska to an optimal level," Kuzmić emphasized. Kuzmić stated that another priority is the regulation of the riverbeds of major rivers at critical points, such as regulating the watercourse of the Sana River and its tributaries in the areas of Prijedor, Novi Grad and Kostajnica. According to her, further rehabilitation and regulation of the Vrbanja and Vrbas rivers in Banja Luka and downstream toward Laktaši and Srbac is also important, as well as the continuation of works on protection from high water levels of the Bosna River in the areas of Doboj and Modriča, works on the Željeznica River in the area of Istočno Sarajevo, and other sites across Republika Srpska where necessary. Kuzmić assessed that systemic and planning measures are equally important, prioritizing the improvement of the water information system for the future period. "It is also important to expand and modernize the network of hydrological and meteorological stations for automatic real-time readings, which is crucial for more precise forecasting and the timely declaration of regular and emergency flood defence measures," Kuzmić stated in an interview for the Bulletin of the Srpska Waters Public Enterprise. Regarding systemic improvements in the water sector, Kuzmić said that Republika Srpska must implement a number of important measures in the coming period, such as increasing the capacity for municipal and industrial wastewater treatment. "In the field of water protection, capacities for risk management must be improved. Strengthening institutional capacities is also extremely important because, in order to implement all the necessary measures, a strong institutional apparatus capable of preparing, financing and implementing complex projects is required," she emphasized. Kuzmić stressed that relying exclusively on budget funds is not sufficient to implement all projects and that it is also necessary to secure funds from international sources. "The priority is to maximize the use of grants and favourable credit lines through instruments such as the Western Balkans Investment Framework," Kuzmić stated.