Director of the Highways of the RS, Dusan Topic, announced that two contract will be signed with representatives of European Investment Bank (EIB) in mid-May, which refer to additional debt of 47 million EUR for completion of the construction of the highway “January 9 ” (route Banja Luka-Doboj) and grant funds from European Commission for the construction of bridge on Sava River near Gradiska in the amount of 6.8 million EUR.
Topic also noted that claims by representatives of opposition that the construction of the highway “January 9” would cost around 500 million BAM more than initially planed are not true, and that final price will amount to a total of 402 million EUR.
He added that the Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and entity ministries of transport and communications on February 26, at the Third Investment Conference on Western Balkans that was held in London, and which contains planned project for the next three years that should be financed by this bank.
“When it comes to the RS, our main focus is on the project of Coridor 5C, that is, two sections – from the future Rudanka (Kostajnica) loop to entity line on the south and from Vukoslavlje to Podnovlje, which should be co-financed by EIB,” noted Topic.
The director of “Highways of the RS” believes that concession agreement with Chinese partner could be signed in April as well, and it will refer to the construction of the highway Banja Luka – Prijedor – Novi Grad.
Topic stated that the payment from new excises haven’t started yet, but it is expected that the Board of the Indirect Taxation Authority BiH will confirm the decision on redistribution of those funds.
He said that the revenue would be two times higher in comparison to previous 10 fenning per liter of fuel for “highways”, and that annual income, on that basis, should amount to around 100 million BAM.
(Source: akta.ba)
