New Steps in the Process of Protecting the Buna and Bunica Rivers

The Youth Club Novi Val Blagaj has signed a contract with the City of Mostar for the preparation of an Expert Rationale for the designation of the Buna and Bunica rivers as a protected area. Through this agreement, Novi Val assumes the professional and coordinating role in drafting a document that represents a key step toward the institutional and legal protection of one of the most valuable natural areas in Herzegovina.

The preparation of the Expert Rationale is part of a broader process implemented on the basis of a co-financing agreement between the Federal Ministry of Environment and Tourism and the City of Mostar, in accordance with the Decision of the Government of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina on the adoption of the Programme for Allocation of Funds – current transfers to other levels of government and funds – Action Plan of the Environmental Strategy. The total value of this contract amounts to BAM 80,000, with the City of Mostar as the beneficiary of the funds.

The purpose of drafting the Expert Rationale is to prepare a high-quality and comprehensive professional basis that will serve as the foundation for adopting a decision on declaring the Buna and Bunica area a protected site. This area is characterized by exceptional hydrological, ecological, and landscape values, rich biodiversity, and the presence of endemic species, and it holds significant importance for the local community and the development of sustainable tourism.

The co-financing programme is aligned with the Federal Environmental Protection Strategy for the period 2022–2032, with the aim of increasing the total area of protected sites in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The documentation being prepared directly contributes to fulfilling the international obligations of Bosnia and Herzegovina, including the goals of the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.

During the signing of the agreement, the Mayor of the City of Mostar, Mario Kordić, and the Federal Minister of Environment and Tourism, Nasiha Pozder, jointly emphasized that the protection of the Buna and Bunica rivers is not only an environmental issue, but also an institutional responsibility toward future generations. They stressed that projects of this kind are crucial for the long-term preservation of natural values and for aligning nature protection practices with European and global standards.