Bosnia Herzegovina reports 20% of deaths caused by air pollution

SARAJEVO, Bosnia Herzegovina (AA) - Bosnia and Herzegovina on Tuesday reported that 20% of deaths in the country are caused by problems related to air pollution.

''Almost all cities in Bosnia and Herzegovina are trying to combat the same problem. Besides Sarajevo, Banja Luka, Tuzla and Zenica are the cities where air pollution is felt the most,'' according to NGO Eko Akcija Association spokesman Anes Podic.

The World Bank determined deaths from air pollution in Bosnia and Herzegovina are around 3,400 annually and the European Environment Agency reported it is around 5,000, he said.

"These numbers are very high. Almost 20 percent of the deaths in Bosnia and Herzegovina are due to air pollution-related causes,'' said Podic.

He added that politicians in Bosnia and Herzegovina have not made an effort to solve the problem.

"Stoves and those burned in the stoves are our biggest problem. People are very slow at the point of heating with natural gas. Every year, several hundred citizens switch to natural gas. At this pace, air pollution would take centuries to solve the problem. This problem must become the problem of the whole society," said Podic.

He urged citizens to be more sensitive about warnings and advised those who can get from cities to go to places where the air is clean during periods of air pollution.