KOŠARAC: WORK ON REMEDIATING THE OBODINA LANDFILL TO BEGIN IMMEDIATELY

TREBINJE, FEBRUARY 2 /SRNA/ - BiH Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations Staša Košarac stated today that work on the remediation of the large Obodina landfill near Trebinje will begin immediately.

"The position of the city administration is that this is a problem that must be resolved," Košarac told reporters in Trebinje after meetings with Trebinje Mayor Mirko Ćurić and UNDP Resident Representative in BiH Reno Meyer, with whom he discussed development projects being implemented by the ministry in cooperation with UNDP and the Green Climate Fund.

Košarac said that the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations is able to secure certain international financial resources from the Green Climate Fund, which is why today's visit to Trebinje took place.

He noted that the meeting focused on ways to resolve the landfill issue, stressing that the process should begin immediately and be implemented in phases.

"Trebinje, as a strategic city, deserves to be an environmentally clean city," Košarac said, after visiting the Obodina landfill site together with Ćurić and Meyer following the meeting at the Trebinje City Administration.

Košarac stated that the total amount required for remediation of the landfill is BAM 16 million, noting that it would be unrealistic to claim that all of the funds could be secured at once, but that work on the project will start immediately.

He explained that, based on the main project prepared by UNDP in cooperation with the City of Trebinje, it will be determined what can be done in the first phase-whether it involves the production of healthy soil, transport units, machinery, or other measures-and priorities for implementation will be set.

Košarac added that the institutions of the Republic of Srpska, through their strategic documents, are committed to developing adequate policies for waste management.

He also said that discussions were held on the further development of agrotourism in Trebinje, noting that financial resources are already available for which the city can apply.

According to Košarac, the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations, together with UNDP, will finance rural tourism projects in Trebinje.