MODERN WEATHER STATION OPENS ON MOUNT JAHORINA

TRNOVO, SEPTEMBER 14 /SRNA/ - A modern hydrometeorological station worth BAM 120,000 was put into operation today in the part of Jahorina belonging to the municipality of Trnovo; it will enable precise monitoring of air temperature, wind speed and precipitation levels, with the data to be important for future planning of Jahorina’s development.

Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations in the Council of Ministers, Staša Košarac, attended the opening and said that the installation of the station was one of the results of a study of the impact of climate change on snow cover depth on Mount Jahorina.

"Working together with the Republika Srpska Hydrometeorological Institute, the municipalities of Trnovo and Pale and the Tourism Organisation of the City of Istočno Sarajevo, we implemented a project to install a state-of-the-art hydrometeorological station, which Jahorina greatly needed," Košarac said.

He said that technical upgrades to the station were already being considered so that, in addition to the existing parameters, it could monitor snow depth, air quality and other indicators.

Košarac stressed that the data and their analysis would provide an important basis for strategic planning and project development, both in winter and summer, given Jahorina's potential for developing year-round tourism.

He reminded that the development of a tourism strategy for the City of Istočno Sarajevo is currently under way, with 84 potential tourist sites identified as part of the process.

"I believe that within the next two months we will have the tourism development strategy for the City of Istočno Sarajevo completed, which will serve as a starting point not only for strategic planning but also for securing funding for project implementation, primarily through the Green Climate Fund," Košarac said.

According to him, the municipality of Trnovo was also presented today with a Waste Management Plan, which will enable the local community to apply to the relevant institutions for the implementation of projects in this area.

Košarac said that activities to improve municipal infrastructure would be stepped up over the next 60 days, including through the installation of waste bins on Mount Jahorina and in Trnovo.

He stressed that the municipality of Pale should also be involved in implementing these activities, and that other projects are being carried out in parallel with the Tourism Organisation of the City of Istočno Sarajevo and the Faculty of Economics in Pale.

"We want to make a strong contribution to the efforts of Republika Srpska institutions to secure funding, and to use the Green Climate Fund to provide the funding needed to implement projects in the City of Istočno Sarajevo and throughout Republika Srpska," Košarac said.

Before the station was opened, Košarac held a working meeting with Trnovo Mayor Miroslav Bjelica, which was also attended by Pale Mayor Dejan Kojić, Director of the Istočno Sarajevo Tourism Organisation Stefan Stajčić, and Director of the Republic Hydrometeorological Institute Darko Burojević.