The construction of a border crossing Bijača has begun, and in May the start of work on the reconstruction of the border crossing in Gradiška is expected to begin, confirmed the Head of Communications Department of the Indirect Taxation Authority of BIH Ratko Kovačević in an interview for Fena.
“On 21 March the Indirect Taxation Authority (UIO) signed an agreement with the consortium “A3” from Široki Brijeg and “Putevi” from Gruda for the construction of the border crossing Bijač, and the official start of construction occurred when the contractor for the works entered the field, specifically the phase LOT 2’’, said Kovačević.
The offer of consortium “A3” amounts to 4.2 million KM was chosen because it was deemed the most favorable at the recent completion of the international public tender.
The first LOT is finished and was conducted by “Autoceste” of the FBiH. A part of the highway was constructed until the entrance to the plateau of the future border crossing.
He explained that LOT 2 and LOT 3 is being worked on by the UIO BiH.
LOT 2, which began after the signing of the agreement with “A3”, implies the construction of the crossing Bijača until that phase that will from 1 July allow an unimpeded start to the functioning of cargo and passenger traffic’’, said Kovačević.
UIO expects that this border crossing would be fully ready by 1 July 2013, because until then there is around 3.5 months left to finish the work.
“Work on LOT 3 is expected to begin after Croatia joins the EU and only once the completion of the final LOT of the border crossing will have a finished look. For LOT 3 UIO funds from the IPA 2011 program amount to 5,7 million KM”, said the Head of the Department of Communications of the Indirect Taxation Authority.
Unlike the border crossing Bijača, which has to be completely constructed, the border crossing Gradiška exists and is in full function, but requires reconstruction.
“Currently in the UIO there is a tender for the selection of contractors for the reconstruction of the crossing and customs terminal in Gradiška. We expect that we will sign an agreement with the best bidder by 1 May 2013, and the deadline for the execution of the work is 40 days from the signing of the agreement. Funds for this are provided by the UIO budget’’, specified Kovačević.
He stated that UIO representatives in the last period held several meetings with representatives of local authorities in Gradiška and agreed on a joint operative plan for preparing the transition in this local community.
“Gradiška municipality will make certain changes when it comes to road infrastructure, and activities will be jointly carried out over the possible extension of the customs terminal in Gradiška’’, said Kovačević in an interview for Fena.
The current crossing Gradiška has to meet all requirements of the flow of goods in northern BiH until the construction of the new border crossing, which will be at the exit of the highway Banja Luka-Gradiška and until the construction of the new bridge on the Sava river.
