The construction of a test runway at the proposed new commercial airport in Bihać, in north-western Bosnia and Herzegovina, is set to begin soon after the Federal government approved fresh funds for the project. The Sarajevo-based engineering company Euro-Asfalt has been selected to carry out the work valued at 1.1 million euros.They will build a 300 metre section of the planned 2.2 kilometre runway.
“At this point, one of our priorities is to make a test section of the runway so that we can select the final version which will be built. Currently, we have two versions, one is expensive, while the other is more affordable. We have to choose between them”, the General Manager of Bihać Airport, Elvedin Sedić, said.
The Federal Government of Bosnia and Herzegovina allocated 1.8 million euros for Bihać Airport earlier this month. In addition to the development of the test runway, the airport will also use part of the funds to finance the expropriation of land needed for the project.
According to Mr. Sedić, some 260.000 square metres of land has been expropriated over the past two years. Furthermore, an access road to the future airport complex has been built, while a perimeter fence has also been erected.
“The Federation government is interested in this project and could take it over completely. The financing should come partly from commercial banks and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development”, Mr Sedić said.
The entire Bihać Airport project involves the construction of a terminal building, runway and control tower. It is estimated to be worth some 25 million euros.
“I think that it is realistic to expect support for this project because it is extremely important for our canton”, the General Manager noted. Bosnia and Herzegovina currently boasts four international commercial airports – Sarajevo, Tuzla, Banja Luka and Mostar. They handled a combined total of 1.695.867 passengers in 2018. Bihać is located near the Croatian border and is the country’s eighth largest city, Ex-Yu Aviation News reports.
