Rat-borne diseases cause crisis in SarajevoIt all makes for a wonderful environment for rats to thrive. Health experts blame a failure to control Sarajevo's rodent population for an alarming rise in the number of cases of rat-borne diseases. The local authorities in Sarajevo have declared an epidemic, allowing the imposition of emergency measures, including a long overdue clean-up. Sarajevo Canton Health Minister Enis Hasanovic described the situation as "not a health crisis, but a communal crisis", due to local authorities failing to fulfil essential municipal hygiene requirements. But a former director of the Sarajevo's University Clinical Centre, Sebija Izetbegović, believes the health situation could deteriorate further.