Head of the EU Delegation to BiH and EU Special Representative Ambassador Johann Sattler hosted a high level meeting on Corridor Vc today in Sarajevo, with relevant state and entity officials as well as representatives of the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), to discuss how to accelerate the construction works.
Corridor Vc is the most ambitious investment programme in Bosnia and Herzegovina, requiring significant financial and human resources. So far, the European Union has secured more than EUR 200 million in grants through the Western Balkans Investment Framework for construction of 11 sub-sections of motorway on Corridor Vc in BiH, complementing the EIB and EBRD loans.
Ambassador Johann Sattler stated: “Five years after the launch of the Connectivity Agenda and ahead of the EU-Western Balkans Summit in Zagreb on 6-7 May 2020, we met to review the state of play and the future plans for the development and completion of the Corridor Vc motorway in BiH. Continuing to invest in connecting the country with the region and the EU for the benefit of the citizens and the economy. Bosnia and Herzegovina can mobilize the resources and technical capacities to speed up the works.”
During the meeting, the representatives of the relevant authorities renewed their commitment to accelerate preparation and implementation of on-going investments in Corridor Vc.
Prime Minister of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Fadil Novalić emphasised the need to create a favourable environment for growth of the private sector and investments, adding that fast development of infrastructure and fiscal growth have been recognised as priorities within the plan of socio-economic reforms.
Minister of Transport and Communications of the Republika Srpska Đorđe Popović emphasised that the European Union provides considerable funds for development projects annually, expressing the intention to continue with cooperation on future projects.
The European Union launched the Connectivity Agenda for the Western Balkans in 2015, earmarking significant grant resources to co-finance major transport and energy links in the region until 2020.
Works are on-going on several active construction sites in the country and BiH is committed to complete the job. The most advanced connectivity project in the region is the Svilaj bridge which will be completed by this summer. The long-awaited works have finally started to build the Gradiška bridge, as well as the motorway from Rudanka to Johovac. Zenica Tunnel construction site was opened very recently, and the end of this month we will mark the start of works for the digging of the Ivan tunnel.
