Bosnia and Herzegovina belongs to the countries with the fewest kilometers of highways in this part of Europe. Namely, we have only built about 220 kilometers of highway. What is being built, where is it being built and why don’t we have more highways?
Bosnia and Herzegovina has collected about three billion marks for 14 years from the special toll for the construction of highways and the reconstruction of other roads, which is charged per liter of fuel, but so far it has only managed to complete a little more than 220 kilometers of unconnected highways, mostly from loans . The most significant project, Corridor Vc, has been under construction for 23 years. Recently, another loan agreement was signed for the construction of a new section of the corridor.
SRĐAN AMIDŽIĆ, Minister of Finance in the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina
“Fifteen kilometers of highway and two interchanges Mostar south, Mostar north, total value 110 million euros, loan is 15 years, grace period four years”.
SUZAN GORANSON, EBRD director for infrastructure in Bosnia and Herzegovina
“Specifically, the project is worth 220 million. As of today, the first half is available. The EBRD started financing this corridor in 2008 and since then the bank has financed over one billion”.
On the other hand, in the Republic of Srpska, the opening of new kilometers of highway is expected at the end of 2025. So far, 112 kilometers of highway have been built in this entity. Five projects are currently active, according to Autoputevi Republika Srpska.
NEDELJKO ĆORIĆ, director of JP Autoputevi Republike Srpske
“Work has not opened on all of them and not all construction sites, the construction sites are on the section of the highway from Bijeljina to Rača, Corridor Vc on the Doboj bypass and preparatory works on the section of the highway from Vukosavlja to Brčko. We are also working on the preparation of the opening of the construction site and the signing of the contract from Bijeljina to Brčko and the Banjaluka – Prijedor concession contract, where works are being carried out on the first seven kilometers”.
The section of the Sarajevo-Belgrade highway from Bijeljina to Rača, which is mostly financed by Serbia, was one of the most active construction sites this year.
DUŠAN BOBIĆ, Batković village near Bijeljina
“The works have started and are in full swing, they are progressing, as far as I am aware, the route has been broken to Rača and some other layer is being built. The locals, as you said, did not believe that all this would be realized, but the works are progressing”.
PREDRAG SPASOJEVIĆ, Velika Obarska village near Bijeljina
“The second layer is being worked on from Šumarić to Batković, the second team is going towards Velina sel and Broc, it’s going well. The expropriation has also been completed, the houses have been demolished, everything that was planned is being done smoothly, so it continues and is being done.”
MILAN LAZAREVIĆ, chief of staff of the mayor of Bijeljina
“As part of a wider highway network, it will enable a better connection of the highway network within Republika Srpska and Bosnia and Herzegovina itself, this section will relieve Bijeljina of transit traffic.”
In addition to the small number of built kilometers compared to the region, another problem of Bosnia and Herzegovina is that all built sections are not connected, so the true purpose of the highway – connecting cities and parts of the country – is only partially fulfilled.
