A center for the protection of unaccompanied migrant minors and highly vulnerable individuals was opened in the city of Bihac in Bosnia-Herzegovina on September 26. Dedicated to the memory of Adriano Poletti, a former mayor of Agrate Brianza in Italy’s Lombardy region, the center honors his legacy as the long-time head of the Associazioni Cristiane Lavoratori Italiani (ACLI).

The facility was established by the Italian NGO IPSIA-ACLI as part of the Balkan Route - Assistenza in Transito (BRAT) project, funded by the Italian Development Cooperation Agency.

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Center able to host up to 32 people

Once fully operational, the center will accommodate up to 32 individuals, including migrants from nearby camps in Lipa and Borići, as well as at-risk minors from the local community.

At the inauguration, First Secretary Riccardo Righelli represented the Italian embassy to Bosnia-Herzegovina and praised the collaboration among the international community, local institutions, and civil society that made the center’s establishment possible.

The initiative involved various stakeholders, including the AICS and IPSIA-ACLI, as well as the Bosnia-Herzegovina health ministry, represented by Mustafa Pašalić, head of the asylum sector's reception and programs department, and Bihać city council, represented by Mayor Elmedin Sedić and social services center director Senad Tutić.

IPSIA-ACLI was represented by President Marco Calvetto and IPSIA BiH Director Silvia Maraone.

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Bihać located at crucial point on Balkan Route

"These new facilities represent a significant step forward in the protection and support for the most vulnerable youths in our community," Maraone said.

"This is the reason why it will be dedicated to the memory of dear friend Adriano Poletti, who alongside friends and colleagues began IPSIA's adventure in Bosia-Herzegovina," he added.

Bihać is strategically located near the Croatian border and within the Una-Sana canton, a critical area along the Balkan Route where migrants in Bosnia-Herzegovina often seek to cross into the EU.

The BRAT project has facilitated the establishment of this center, as well as other facilities within and around the Borići (for families and minors) and Lipa (for adult males) refugee camps, aimed at providing material, psychological, and social assistance.

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