Brussels, 23/08/2013 (Agence Europe) - Two Croatian fire-fighting aircraft (Canadairs) have been rushed to Bosnia-Herzegovina as part of the assistance provided through the European civil protection mechanism, stated the European Commission Emergency Response Centre on Friday 23 August.
In the grip of large forest fires since the beginning of August due to the high temperatures currently over the Balkans region, Bosnia-Herzegovina is one of the third countries that - along with the three other countries of former Yugoslavia that have not joined the EU, and Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway - is cooperating with the 28 member states of the EU as part of the crisis management mechanism. The fires are particularly threatening the hydropower plant of Jablanica, to the west of Sarajevo.
Over the last three summers, the European mechanism has been activated 18 times in and outside the EU. Nine requests for help have been made by Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Greece, Montenegro, Portugal and Slovenia. In 2012, the statellite mapping service was also activated nine times during emergencies. (MB/transl.fl)