Facemasks will be mandatory in all public spaces in Sarajevo Canton – open and closed, starting from Thursday, Cantonal Crisis Staff said Wednesday evening, after a surge of coronavirus cases over the past few days, BHRT reported.

Failure to wear a mask in the open will result in a €250 fine from the police.

After the nation-wide lockdown, Bosnian local communities ordered that masks should only be worn in closed spaces and in the open in case people were not able to maintain a 2-meter distance from each other.

With the arrival of Autumn, coronavirus cases surged with Wednesday's count reaching 476 new cases. This led to health authorities ordering new measures in the country, and Sarajevo Canton being the first to order a face mask mandate even in the open.

The mandate stipulates that masks must cover one's mouth and nose and that they are mandatory in open and closed spaces for everyone except for athletes in training, matches or other sports activities, cyclists, drivers of electric scooters and motorcycles, as well as other exemptions in accordance with the recommendations from health authorities.

This order will come into force on October 15 and it will be valid until December 31.