CLEANING THE TERRAIN OF CLUSTER MUNITIONS IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF BUJANOVAC

13. May 2013.

Belgrade - Norway's ambassador to the UN in Geneva and Chairman of the Convention against Cluster Munitions, Stephen Kongstad, will today visit the village of Bogdanovac, which is situated in the municipality of Bujanovac, where the cleaning of the area of cluster munitions remnants from 1999 is underway. The works are performed by the Norwegian People's Aid organization, in accordance with the project run by the Serbian Mine Action Centre, the aforementioned Norwegian organization stated.

Funds for the implementation of the program of demining and clearing of cluster munitions in the municipalities of Presevo, Bujanovac and Kursumlija were provided by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is was said in the statement. As of April 29, 2011, when the works started, the cleaning of the area of cluster munitions was completed in Presevo and Kursumlija, while the works in the Bujanovac area are in progress.

In the area of Presevo, 87 pieces of cluster munitions and 18 different pieces of unexploded ordnance were found, while in Kursumlija, 689 pieces of cluster munitions and 684 pieces of various unexploded ordnance were discovered and removed.

According to the Norwegian People’s Aid’s data, so far, 788 pieces of cluster munitions and 702 different pieces of unexploded ordnance have been found in Bujanovac. When clearing the area of cluster munitions remnants from the NATO bombing, unexploded ordnance from the previous periods is often found in the area.

Source: Таnjug