By laying the foundation stone for the new arrivals terminal at Mostar International Airport, Marija Buhač, President of the Government of Herzegovina-Neretva Canton, and Mario Kordić, Mayor of Mostar, officially marked the start of a new phase in the airport’s modernization and development. According to Marko Đuzel, the Airport Director, this represents a significant step forward in further developing and improving the quality of their services.
Addressing journalists, President Buhač stated that construction of the new arrivals terminal will bring Mostar Airport closer to joining the family of developed aviation hubs in Europe. She noted that marking the official start of construction fulfills the obligation undertaken by the Government of Herzegovina-Neretva Canton when it applied for the Public Call for the support program for Croats in Bosnia and Herzegovina, nominating the project “Connected for Growth: Mostar Airport as a Catalyst for Entrepreneurship and Prosperity of the Croat Community in Bosnia and Herzegovina.”
The project was recognized and approved by the Government of the Republic of Croatia, and we signed a grant agreement worth 285,000 euros with the Croatian Ministry of Economy. The entire amount will be used for the construction of the new arrivals terminal in Mostar. This is a significant day for those of us who have made the development of Mostar Airport a strategic goal and a foundation for the overall tourism and economic development of the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton, as well as for our entire community, Rubač stated.
Đuzel also commented on the positive results, emphasizing that Mostar Airport has experienced constant growth, starting with 20,000 passengers in 2023, increasing to more than 50,000 in 2024, and ending the previous year with over 70,000 passengers.
This resulted in maximum capacity utilization and the need for expansion, which is why this capital project was launched with a total value of 1.5 million BAM. Part of the funds was provided by the Government of the Republic of Croatia through the Government of the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton, another portion by the Government of Croatia through its Ministry of Transport, and the remaining part by the Mostar City Administration, explained Đuzel, expressing his gratitude for the continuous support in the infrastructure development of Mostar Airport and the establishment of new air routes to multiple European destinations.
An agreement worth 284,127 euros was signed in Zagreb last year to co-finance this project. The Croatian Ministry of Economy launched a public call for support programs for Croats in Bosnia and Herzegovina to foster the economic development of the local community. In line with the strategy of the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton and its strategic goal, “Dynamic and sustainable economic development with the sustainable use of resources,” the Government of the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton applied to this call, nominating a project aimed at strengthening the connectivity of this area with Croatia and the European Union.
