# Missing persons issues in Bosnia and Croatia

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/missing-persons-issues-in-bosnia-and-croatia
> Updated: 2026-10-22T16:20:05.000Z. Sources: 10. Developments: 2.

Families in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia continue to seek resolution regarding the fate of thousands of individuals missing from the wars of the 1990s. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, 7,566 people remain missing, with families reporting unfulfilled rights regarding property management and a lack of essential support funds despite legislation passed two decades ago.

In Croatia, the government has proposed new regulations to address legal and financial uncertainties. These proposals aim to allow heirs to initiate inheritance proceedings before a missing person is officially declared dead, a move intended to remove psychological barriers to settling property matters.

To accelerate the search process, the Institute for Missing Persons in Bosnia and Herzegovina (INO BiH) has activated approximately 600,000 KM in funds to reward individuals who provide accurate information regarding the locations of mass, collective, or individual graves. These funds follow six previous rulings from the former Human Rights Chamber for Bosnia and Herzegovina, which ordered the entities of the Federation of BiH and Republika Srpska to contribute toward locating the missing. A new regulation has been adopted to ensure the absolute anonymity and protection of informants, allowing for direct payments while complying with data protection laws.

Additionally, the Institute has signed a memorandum of understanding with Norwegian People's Aid to deploy two specialized search teams using trained dogs to assist in field searches. The Institute is also conducting a review of 2,145 unidentified remains currently held in mortuaries to facilitate new identifications through advanced analysis and traditional methods.

## Claims

- The Institute for Missing Persons of BiH has approximately 600,000 KM available for informant rewards. (corroborated by 3 sources)
- Funds were collected based on six rulings from the former Human Rights Chamber for Bosnia and Herzegovina. (corroborated by 3 sources)
- A new regulation guarantees absolute anonymity and identity protection for informants. (corroborated by 3 sources)
- The Institute signed a memorandum with Norwegian People's Aid to use two specialized search dog teams. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- There are 2,145 cases of unidentified remains currently in mortuaries. (corroborated by 2 sources)
- Isidora Graorac expressed skepticism regarding the effectiveness of the payment system. (corroborated by 2 sources)

## Timeline

### 2026-10-22: BiH Institute for Missing Persons offers rewards for grave locations

The BiH Institute for Missing Persons has authorized 600,000 KM in rewards for information on grave locations, implementing new privacy protections to encourage anonymous informants.

8 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/bosnia-and-herzegovina-institute-for-missing-persons-offers-rewards-for-grave-locations

### 2026-10-14: Bosnia and Croatia address unresolved fate of missing persons

Families in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia seek resolution for thousands of persons missing from the 1990s wars, as new legal measures in Croatia aim to address inheritance and property rights.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/bosnia-and-croatia-address-unresolved-fate-of-missing-persons

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Cite as: Missing persons issues in Bosnia and Croatia. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/missing-persons-issues-in-bosnia-and-croatia