“Hundreds of migrants and asylum seekers in northwest Bosnia are spending the winter in dire conditions because the authorities have repeatedly failed to address their basic needs,” said Lydia Gall, senior Europe researcher at Human Rights Watch.
“Local, federal, and national authorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina should immediately take concerted urgent action to ensure that the migrants have access to winterized housing and the medical and other assistance they need .”
The International Organization for Migration (IOM), which ran the camp with EU funds, warned the authorities numerous times that the camp was unhealthy for winter conditions.
It had said the camp should be made fit for winter – a process that would include fitting suitable heating, flooring, and insulation – and that the authorities should provide other accommodation while that work was being carried out.