An example of the work and care of the system are the institutions that work in that system. Republika Srpska, for example, could be left without its only airport. Due to poor infrastructure, further traffic is questionable. Insufficient investments and bad attitude of the authorities are only some of the problems. Banja Luka Airport ended last year with a loss of around 1,800,000 BAM.
The runway, surfaces and facilities at the Banja Luka airport are in poor condition. They estimate that it is necessary to invest about 30 million marks in the reconstruction of the infrastructure alone. Among other things, there is a lack of room for storing dangerous items.
“It was established that Banja Luka has incomplete protective equipment for workers, that individual mistakes are made in the practical procedures of workers and record keeping, that there is a shortage of managers of organizational units, that workers are assigned to more jobs, that there is a shortage of workers in security, that the MAN fire engines are worn out, that the firefighting suits for entering the fire are worn out, and that the Airport has an insufficient number of firefighters,” the Zamaaero portal states.
Damage to the perimeter fence is also visible, which allows wild and domestic animals access to the airport. Despite everything, we were unable to get a statement from this company. The reason, the director is on sick leave. The Ministry of Transport and Communications of the RS also has no answers.
The answer came only from the Ministry of Tourism: “Potential traffic interruptions from this airport would have consequences for tourism in the RS, in the part that refers to the number of tourist arrivals in our country via flights to the Banja Luka airport, and we hope that this will not happen.”
And not only on tourism. Interruption of traffic would also have a negative impact on the economy.
“We used to deliver meat to Turkey from the Banja Luka airport. The number of passengers, especially our people who live abroad, is a very important segment that helps consumption in the RS and Bosnia and Herzegovina and the creation of a new VAT”, emphasizes economic analyst Zoran Pavlović.
Citizens are of the same opinion. Airport is necessary:
“It is badly needed, what a closure. It should be prevented!”
“The runway is in bad condition, there is no money to repair it. There is money for everything else. How to comment?”
“Banjaluka is a growing city and I think that an airport is necessary for Banjaluka.”
This is not the only problem of the Banja Luka airport. According to the auditor’s report, they ended the previous year with a loss of around 1,800,000 BAM. Also, the company’s current liabilities exceeded its current assets by the amount of 5.32 million marks.
