In October 2024, Bosnia was struck by devastating floods, causing widespread damage. Sarajevo faced significant challenges as the torrential waters disrupted daily life and endangered countless homes. Amid this disaster, neighbouring countries and regional partners extended their support to assist in relief efforts. This assistance not only provided immediate aid but also underscored the importance of unity during crises, which are expected to increase in frequency in the future and not only in the region of Western Balkans. Nevertheless, the situation was far from ideal and the international help was limited.
Floods in October
On October 4, torrential rains and strong winds battered four municipalities in the southern and central regions of the country, destroying homes, and roads, and cutting off power to several villages. The latest death toll is 27 people. Most of the casualties are from the village Jablonica, which saw a collective funeral of 19 people in the middle of the month. The funeral prayer was held on Tuesday, 15th October, at 2 pm in the city harem Jasen in Jablanica. Afterwards, the burial took place in the cemeteries of Donja Jablanica, Djevor, and Zlate. After the water levels receded, the search for the cause began, which is why such rapid and devastating flooding occurred.
The discussion on Radio Free Europe’s (RFERL) podcast “Most” (Bridge) focused on the lack of accountability for the recent tragedy in Jablanica, where a quarry collapse contributed to severe floods. Ivana Korajlić of Transparency International and Edvin Kanka Ćudić from the Association for Social Research highlighted how local authorities, from the federal to the municipal level, have evaded responsibility. Despite the quarry operating without permits, no government body has stepped forward to take ownership of the failure. They criticized the government’s lack of response to previous flood warnings and failure to address the root causes of such disasters. Korajlić mentioned how illegal exploitation of natural resources without oversight has gone unchecked for years, while Ćudić emphasized the broader issue of political irresponsibility in Bosnia. The hosts argued that the political system enables influential companies and individuals to bypass laws, leading to environmental destruction and public endangerment. Despite misdemeanour charges, quarry operations continued, raising questions about governance and the judiciary. They concluded that lessons from past disasters, like the 2014 floods, have not been learned, and unless citizens actively demand change, the situation is unlikely to improve.
A two-day campaign to clean the shores of Lake Jablanica was ongoing on 19th and 20th October. About 60 volunteers collected the waste during this action. A similar event was planned for the cleaning of Lake Grabovicko later. Cleaning of both lakes was finished by 27th October. However, it appears that the effects of the floods will plague the region for a long time to come. Not only physically, but also politically, economically and socially. According to the Bosnian media, cleaning efforts were ongoing even in the second week of November with the help of volunteers and soldiers of the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina. In order to partly return life to normal, elections were also held in Jablonica at the beginning of November, which were initially postponed.
International, local and federal help
In response to these devastating floods, countries in the region have provided relief and assistance. Nations like Serbia, North Macedonia, Croatia, and Slovenia have prepared or sent rescue teams, equipment, and humanitarian aid to Bosnia and Herzegovina. These countries have assisted even though some of their relations with each other are not good, rather the opposite. Nevertheless, it has shown once again that, at least in the case of natural disasters, there is a way to cooperate even in the region of Western Balkans. Foreign aid together with cooperation with local communities helped to deal with the initial situation shortly after the floods. According to the local media, local communities have shown immense solidarity, with volunteers assisting in rescue operations and cleanup efforts.
Serbia has provided 36 rescuers with 12 vehicles from Belgrade, Novi Sad and Kragujevac. They left for Bosnia on the night of 6th October. Croatia provided eleven members and a dog named Zara from the Croatian Mountain Rescue Service (HGSS) with four off-road vehicles and two vessels from stations in Dubrovnik, Orebić and Šibenik. North Macedonia also prepared a big team of rescuers with special vehicles, however they were not dispatched in the end. Slovenia deployed 46 rescuers, 6 dogs and 16 vehicles. Additionally, Albania, Montenegro, Poland, Slovakia or Türkiye also offered assistance or sending of supplies through the European Emergency Response Centre (ERCC). The number of participants was later raised, though without any closer details. Our hearts and thoughts are with the people of Bosnia and Herzegovina, hit by devastating floods. We have activated our EU Civil Protection Mechanism and are sending rescue teams on the ground. This is EU solidarity in action,” said President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen on social media X on the 6th of October. Later, she visited Bosnia on the 24th of October. According to the Bosnian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, “her visit focuses on supporting the flood-affected areas and reinforcing our path toward EU integration”.
The Prime Minister of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Nermin Niksic, called on 11th November for urgent reforms in the country’s disaster response system, acknowledging it as inadequate. Niksic emphasized the need for a new law to improve rescue operations, along with clearer regulations on how the government should respond to natural disasters. His report assigned responsibility to the Federal Civil Protection Administration to prepare necessary amendments to the existing law on protection and rescue. Estimated damages have reached millions, underscoring the need for rapid reform to streamline emergency responses and strengthen public procurement protocols for timely resource deployment.
According to Radio Free Europe, municipalities severely impacted by floods, such as Jablanica, Konjic, and Fojnica, can request additional financial support from cantonal or federal authorities when their local funds are insufficient. For example, after the 2021 floods, Sarajevo Canton allocated 1.49 million euros to assist municipalities in flood recovery. If local and cantonal funds cannot cover all the damages, municipalities can escalate requests for federal or even EU-level support. The funds are crucial for flood prevention measures, equipping civil protection units, and repairing damage caused by natural disasters.
Author: Richard Straka
