The decision on the temporary opening of the new border crossing in Gradiška expires tomorrow, and the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina will vote today in an emergency telephone session on a new decision that should regulate the further functioning of the crossing, it was confirmed by the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
An emergency telephone session is scheduled for 2 p.m., and the Council of Ministers explains that it is not about extending the validity of the existing one, but about making a new decision.
This means that the current legal act ceases to be valid within the stipulated period, while the Council of Ministers should adopt a new act that will define the regime of the border crossing after that.
The issue of the functioning of the Gradiška Novi Most crossing was opened back in May, after the damage to the old bridge over the Sava completely stopped traffic through the previous Gradiška – Stara Gradiška border crossing on May 19.
On the same day, the Directorate for Indirect Taxation (ITA) of BiH made a decision on the temporary relocation of the Gradiško Customs Department to the location of the new bridge. It was then decided that this regime would last until the rehabilitation of the old bridge, and at the latest until August 19, while retaining the existing border crossing code, official seal and customs applications.
The temporary solution was introduced even though the BiH Council of Ministers did not adopt the proposed conclusions at the session held on May 19, which would have tasked the BiH Ministry of Security, the ITA and the BiH Border Police with ensuring the functioning of the temporary border crossing Gradiška Novi Most – Gornji Varoš.
After that, on June 8, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia signed a new Agreement on border crossings, which included Gornji Varoš – Gradiška Novi Most among the crossings for the international traffic of passengers and goods with inspection supervision.
At the same time, the two countries agreed on the continuation of the temporary traffic regime over the new bridge.
The contract is still undergoing the procedure required for ratification in Bosnia and Herzegovina. On July 22, the Committee for Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives of the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina gave a positive opinion and recommended that the House approve its ratification.
The full operational opening of the new border crossing was previously also connected with the amendments to the Rulebook on the internal organization of the ITA, which should establish a separate Gradiška Novi Most Customs office. The ITA previously stated that the adoption of these changes is necessary for the determination of a special crossing code, IT and customs infrastructure and its inclusion in the NCTS, TIR and ATA systems.
Gradiška New Bridge is located on the route of the highway Banja Luka – Gradiška and the new bridge over the Sava towards Croatia.
Its full operation has been expected for years as an important relief of the old border crossing, which is one of the most frequent crossings for passenger and freight traffic between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia.
