A state of emergency has been declared in Banja Luka due to issues with waste management, according to the city’s emergency headquarters.

The waste disposal complications were reportedly triggered by a strike at the “Dep-ot” company.

The mayor of Banja Luka, Draško Stanivuković, noted that the current situation poses risks to the cleanliness of the city and public health, and ordered “Dep-ot” to promptly resume landfill operations.

“Should they fail to comply, we will seek intervention from the relevant prosecutor’s office to take immediate action against those accountable, as the city faces the risk of an infectious outbreak that could escalate to an epidemic,” Stanivuković stated.

He further mentioned that an order would also be directed to “Čistoća” to fully address the prevailing situation.

Stanivuković remarked that the ongoing dispute between “Dep-ot” and the private utility firm “Čistoća” has persisted for years.

The landfill, which typically operates 24/7, is presently functioning for only six hours a day.

This facility serves a region spanning about 280 dunums (280,000 square meters), collecting waste from Banja Luka and nearby towns such as Gradiška, Prnjavor, Laktaši, Čelinac, Srbac, Kotor Varoš, and Kneževo.

Workers are currently on strike, urging the Banja Luka City Administration to intervene in the ongoing conflict between the Public Company “Dep-ot,” which oversees the landfill, and the private utility service “Čistoća,” responsible for waste collection.

Notably, the District Court in Banja Luka has mandated that “Dep-ot” must relinquish the land where the “Čistoća” landfill is situated by the end of February; this ruling is currently not final.

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