A state of emergency has been declared in Banja Luka due to waste, Stanivuković: There is a threat of infection that could turn into an epidemic

A state of emergency has been declared in the Banja Luka area due to challenges with waste disposal, the city's emergency headquarters announced.

The problem with waste disposal was caused by a strike at the "Dep-ot" company, it is reported.

The mayor of Banja Luka, a city in the Bosnian-Herzegovinian entity of Republika Srpska, Draško Stanivuković, said that the current situation threatens the cleanliness of the city, as well as the public health of residents, and the company "Dep-ot" will be given an order to urgently restore the operation of the landfill.

"In the event of failure to act, we will contact the competent prosecutor to urgently take action against those responsible because the city is threatened by an infection that could turn into an epidemic," said Stanivuković.

He added that the order will also go to the company "Čistoća" to "at full capacity, approach resolving the current situation."

Stanivuković also stated that the dispute between the company "Dep-ot" and the private utility company "Čistoća" has been going on for years.

The landfill, which normally operates around the clock, is currently only open six hours a day.

At a location covering an area of ​​about 280 dunums (280.000 square meters), waste is disposed of by Banja Luka and the surrounding towns, Gradiška, Prnjavor, Laktaši, Čelinac, Srbac, Kotor Varoš and Kneževo.

Workers are on strike, demanding that the Banja Luka City Administration resolve the problem between the Public Company "Dep-ot", which manages the landfill, and the private utility company "Čistoća" from Banja Luka, which is in charge of waste collection.

Namely, the District Court in Banja Luka ruled that "Dep-ot" must hand over the land on which the "Čistoća" landfill is located by the end of February. The decision is not yet final.