The European Union has handed over specialized DNA laboratory equipment worth €138,600 to the Agency for Forensic and Expert Examinations (AFEE) in Bosnia and Herzegovina, aiming to strengthen domestic capacities for DNA-based identification of missing persons. The handover, which took place on 1 July 2026 at AFEE's laboratory facilities, was attended by representatives of the EU, the International Commission on Missing Persons (ICMP), and AFEE. The equipment will support post-mortem DNA sample processing and contribute to the long-term sustainability of accounting for missing persons in the country, where more than 7,000 people reported missing from the 1990s conflict remain unaccounted for.
The laboratory premises were renovated and equipped with EU support, while ICMP provided technical assistance, including practical training at its DNA laboratory in The Hague, development of Standard Operating Procedures, and expert guidance. Magdalena Mueller-Uri, Head of Cooperations at the EU Delegation to BiH, said the handover marks a major advance in strengthening Bosnia's capacity for DNA-based identification. She urged authorities to recruit additional qualified DNA analysts and make the laboratory fully operational, stressing that this is essential for upholding the rights of families, advancing the rule of law, and supporting Bosnia's EU path.
AFEE Director Radisa Samardzija noted that the priority is to ensure the laboratory becomes fully operational through the recruitment of at least two additional qualified DNA analysts. Samira Krehic, Head of ICMP's Western Balkans Program, highlighted that Bosnia has achieved globally unprecedented results, with more than 75 percent of reported missing persons identified through a science-based process supported by ICMP. She emphasized that without sufficient staffing and sustained institutional commitment, the laboratory cannot yet assume post-mortem DNA processing responsibilities, calling the engagement of the Bosnian government of utmost urgency.
The EU and ICMP remain committed to supporting Bosnian authorities in building sustainable domestic capacities for DNA-based identification and strengthening the institutional framework to account for the remaining missing persons. The process of accounting for missing persons is considered one of the most important rule-of-law issues in the country, and families continue to seek truth and justice regarding the fate of their loved ones.