The Mayors of the Municipalities of Foča (Bosnia and Herzegovina) and Plužine (Montenegro) signed a mutual agreement on cooperation in the field of protection and rescue within the project “Tourism, Adrenaline and Rafting Adventure (T.A.R.A.), financed by the European Union.” The agreement was signed between these municipalities, as well as between the National Park Sutjeska and the Nature Park Piva, all with the aim of improving the security of this cross-border area.
The general conditions for cooperation in protection and rescue from disasters are defined, and especially in the planning and implementation of measures for protection and rescue from floods, earthquakes, open fires, search and rescue in the mountains and other disasters. Among other things, the mechanisms of mutual notification in cases of danger and potential catastrophes, and mutual assistance in the implementation of preventive and operational protection and rescue measures are defined.
The Mayor of the Municipality of Foča, Radisav Mašic, emphasized the importance of cooperation between these municipalities, both in the field of protection and rescue, and in other segments related to the improvement of the tourist offer in this cross-border area. Mijuško Bajagić, the Mayor of the Municipality of Plužine, praised the successful cooperation so far and emphasized the importance of connecting the National Park Sutjeska and the Nature Park Piva in the field of safety at tourist locations.
In addition to the agreement, the project also developed a Study on risks at tourist locations in these municipalities (available at: https://bit.ly/3nMqs05). Standard operating procedures for dealing with emergencies have been developed, as well as instructions for recording disaster events, reporting, data exchange, seeking and accepting assistance, which will be used by representatives of the rescue services of both municipalities.
The project is implemented by the municipalities of Plužine (Montenegro) and Foča (BiH), in cooperation with the Tourist Organization of Foča and the Nature Park Piva, with the aim to develop and promote the cross-border area of these two municipalities as unique tourist destinations for active tourism. The project is financed by the European Union in the amount of 499,654.00 euros within the Cross-border Cooperation Program BiH-Montenegro, and will last from December 1, 2019 to the end of November 2021.
Source: IPA II CBC programme Bosnia and Herzegovina – Montenegro