An important step towards establishing a National Anti-Poisoning Working Group in Bosnia and Herzegovina was taken, in the framework of the Balkan Anti-Poisoning Project (BAPP). A second meeting between representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations of Bosnia and Herzegovina (MOFTER) and our project partner – Ornithological society ‘Naše ptice’ was held at the beginning of August. in Sarajevo with the aim of ensuring governmental support for development of National Anti-Poisoning Road Map, a crucial strategic document needed for setting a baseline for tackling wildlife poisoning in the country.
We are happy to report that during the course of the meeting both sides agreed and arranged details regarding official formalization of the National Anti-Poisoning Working Group. Also, MOFTER agreed to actively participate as a coordinating body in behalf of other relevant governmental institutions in drafting the Road Map. This kind of positive cooperation will ensure the adoption of the document by the Ministry as an official referent guideline for relevant authorities, responsible for processing cases of wildlife poisoning. This is a first, but significant, step towards future potential integration of the Road Map in the legal framework of the country.
Active engagement of governmental authorities is crucial for the struggle of eliminating the illegal practice of using poisonous substances and poison baits in the environment for extirpation of wildlife. We are encouraged by the news and look forward to further progress of this important work in insuring a better environment for vultures in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The Balkan Anti-Poisoning Project
The illegal use of poison continues to be the single most important threat to vultures in many of the Balkan countries, and is a current limiting factor for their recovery in the region.
Funded by the Mava Foundation we are leading on the Balkan Anti-Poisoning Project which aims to secure real and continued engagement of the relevant national governmental authorities in the Balkan region against illegal wildlife poisoning and increase their capacity to counteract it and working together to take positive steps to protect vultures.
The Balkan Anti-Poisoning Project is a partnership between us here at the Vulture Conservation Foundation and the Albanian Ornithological Society-AOS, Protection and Preservation of Natural Environment in Albania-PPNEA, Ornithological Society “Naše ptice”,Association BIOM, Hellenic Ornithological Society-HOS, Macedonian Ecological Society-MES.
The Balkan Anti-Poisoning Project also contributes directly into the implementation of the Vulture Multi-Species Action Plan by carrying out anti-poisoning actions in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Greece and Macedonia, and is building on our work for the last decade in the Balkans thorugh the Balkan Vulture Action Plan.
