Heinrich Maurer, the Ambassador of Switzerland in BiH, visited the Foreign Investment Promotion Agency (FIPA) and talked with the director Gordan Milinic on the activities of the Embassy and the possibilities for increasing Swiss investments in BiH.
He expressed full support for the work of FIPA emphasizing that the common goal of FIPA and the Embassy of Switzerland is improving the economic situation in BiH, creating new work places and improving the standard of living of BiH citizens.
As successful examples of Swiss investments, the ambassador noted the company Bontex from Maglaj, which operates in the field of textile industry, Standard Prnjavor which operates in the wood industry, as well as companies Juwal, Vitaminka and Wagner Automotive, emphasizing that it is very important that these investors have the support of competent institutions in order to expand and stay in the country. However, Swiss companies are looking for improving the business environment in BiH, giving comments on the widespread bureaucracy, often unequal treatment of foreign investors compared to domestic investors, corruption and long waiting for a court decision.
Foreign investors who already operate in the country are the best promoters of BiH in the business world, and they must have confidence in domestic institutions and they must see a serious commitment of the relevant institutions to be on the service to foreign investors.
Director Milinic thanked the Ambassador for his engagement regarding Swiss investments,, since Switzerland occupies the 7th place on the list of countries of foreign investors in BiH and emphasized that with mutual engagement, there is room for an increase of Swiss investments in BiH. He informed the Ambassador about the current activities of the Agency on finding contacts with potential investors, the establishment of cooperation with embassies in BiH and BiH embassies abroad, activities regarding cooperation with relevant institutions to strengthen economic diplomacy and contacts across the diaspora (there are more than 60,000 BiH citizens in Switzerland).
It was agreed that the Swiss Embassy and FIPA will work together to remove barriers that the Swiss investors are facing with, organize visits to fairs and trade events as well as meetings with potential investors from Switzerland.
Large delegation of Swiss businessmen will come to visit BiH in May.
(Source: klix.ba)
