The heat in Serbia has broken the historical record: Here is whether an emergency situation will be declared

There was a red meteoalarm in Belgrade yesterday, and from today, it is also in the rest of Serbia. The heat wave will still last, but no emergency situation will be declared.

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No municipality or city, and especially those where temperatures could exceed 40 degrees, will not send a proposal to the Government of Serbia for the introduction of an emergency situation in local self-governments, where according to the law, such a proposal should take place.

However, all municipalities will be on standby - they will set up drinking water tanks in busy areas, and local TVs stations will advise citizens daily on how to behave during the heat.

They don't even think about sending the request to the Government in Smederevka Palanka, which is famous for high temperatures during summer, but that is why they sent a note to the employers to pay attention to their workers and not to expose them to the risk.

- On the recommendation of the Emergency Situations Department, we prepared a drinking water tank that would stay in the city. We sent a letter to employers not to expose workers to the risk in the open - said Toplica Pintorovic, president of the Smederevska Palanka municipality.

Foto: Stefan Gvozdić

- He adds that the drinking water in all public fountains has been checked and that it was agreed with local television to host a doctor every morning who will advise citizens what to do in the case of extreme temperatures. 

That is everything the local government can do, as he explains, and they don't expect the suggestion to declare an emergency situation. The chronic water supply problems in Palanka worsened with the arrival of the heat wave. The public communal company Vodovod has introduced daily restrictions, so people in Palanka don't have water from 10 to 14 and from midnight to 5 AM.

The municipality Cuprija said that they have experience with bad weather, so they are in the state of alert.

- Tanks are prepared in the case of water shortage and there are plans in the case of electricity shut down. However, there has been no decision of Serbian Government on emergency state nor there has been any discussion about that - they said in the Cuprija municipality.

Nis officials are not thinking about introducing an emergency situation due to the weather.

- The city of Nis will propose measures to put water tanks in busy places, and they will appeal to the citizens over media how to act during the heat in this municipality.

Foto-ilustracija: Profimedia/Alamy

What does the law say 

The law on emergency situation did not define the temperature, as it is the case with most European laws when an emergency situation is declared.

However, the basis for action is when there is a disruption in a large number of local governments that require appropriate measures to be taken.

The initiative for declaring a state of emergency is submitted by cities and municipalities that are threatened with high temperatures. The decision to declare the emergency situation in the country is made by the Republic headquarters and then forwarded to the Government, and as soon as the ministers give the green light the application begins.

If the emergence of a state of emergency arises, the recommendations of the Ministry of Labor and Social policy, which are related to the outdoor work and which are largely disregarded, are becoming commanding.

Measures are then taken, such as shortening working hours and supplying drinking water to endangered populations.

(Telegraf.co.uk)