Photo: Direkt portal
After the Vlasenica Municipal Assembly made a decision in mid-December last year to dissolve the Fire and Rescue Unit, the Ministry of Administration and Local Self-Government of the RS announced and ordered that a fire and rescue service be organized as soon as possible. It is interesting that the municipal administration turned a deaf ear to the request of the ministry to declare the decision by which this place was practically left without protection in case of fire.
The Ministry made its opinion on the legality of the aforementioned decision at the request of Siniša Purtić, one of the firemen from Vlasenica.
In the letter that was delivered to the president of the MC Vlasenica, it is stated that the decision to cancel was rushed because it was not defined who would react in the event of a fire.
“Before passing the Decision on the abolition of the territorial fire-rescue unit, the Municipal Council of Vlasenica failed to harmonize the fire protection plan with the newly created situation (abolition of the existing TFRS), and above all to carry out an assessment of the risk of fire in the municipality of Vlasenica… Likewise, the decision did not determine who will perform fire protection activities after the termination of the TVSJ, nor in what period will the voluntary FRS be established (the establishment of which was “announced” in the explanation of the disputed decision”, says the opinion of the line ministry signed by Minister Senka Juić.
The vacuum is covered by the unit from Milići
After the fire department in Vlasenica was abolished, Chief Kraljević signed an agreement with the chief of neighbouring Milići that the unit from that municipality would fill the “vacuum” until they register a voluntary fire department. For “Direkt”, Marko Savić, the mayor of Milić, stated that “upon the assurance of the mayor of the municipality of Vlasenica, the process of registration of the voluntary fire brigade will be completed quickly, because it has already been started, so this is a temporary measure”. The agreement stipulates that, if an intervention occurs during that period, the costs will be invoiced to the municipality of Vlasenica, Savić emphasized.
Therefore, it was ordered to “as soon as possible implement the procedure for changing the existing or adopting a new fire protection plan on the basis of which fire protection measures would be successfully implemented, that is, the organization of the fire-rescue service in the territory of the municipality of Vlasenica and its financing in accordance with the law”, it is stated in the letter of this ministry.
Attorney Din Tešić represents five firefighters who filed criminal charges. He points out that the Ministry of Administration and Local Self-Government of the RS hereby declares that the abolition of the Vlasenica rescue unit was carried out contrary to the law.
“The same opinion was given by the RS Ministry of Internal Affairs. This only says that the responsible persons not only violated the rights of employed firefighters, but also committed several criminal acts endangering all the citizens of Vlasenica and their property. For every fire in which damage is caused, as well as insufficient timely response in the event of the need to save persons and property, criminal charges will be filed against the responsible persons. Likewise, legal assistance will be provided to all citizens of Vlasenica who will suffer damage while this situation continues in the territory of the municipality of Vlasenica”, said the lawyer who represents the firefighters pro bono in the case being heard before the Basic Court in Vlasenica.
In the meantime, the Vlasenica firefighters received a decision on non-assignment for 90 days.
“After that, we expect a decision on dismissal”, Siniša Purtić, former shift leader at FRS Vlasenica, tells “Direkt”.
“I heard that Chief Kraljević said that it was a finished matter for him and that we will not return while he is alive. This opinion of the ministry is more bad news for Kraljević after the environmental permit for the “incinerator” – a project of Kraljević’s private company “Ecoplast” – was stopped. He was angered by the fact that almost 1,700 citizens dared to sign a petition against the facility, which would endanger the environment and the health of the residents”, explains Purtić.
The public should find out what position the councillors of MC Vlasenica will take at the next meeting.
