Representative of the Turkish Agency for Development TIKA and leaders of municipality Višegrad agreed to begin work on the reconstruction of the Mehmed-paše Sokolovića bridge.
According to the main engineer of the company ERBU Alihsana Gunduza, the work will begin on 1 April with local construction companies.
“We will use all materials from this area and we will work on the installation of the original stone that was used for the construction of the bridge five centuries ago. We will bring builders from Turkey who have already been involved in the reconstruction and renovation of the old bridges in Mostar and Konjic”, said Gunduz.
The project will involve the reconstruction of the bridge piers that have been overtaken by the water, as well as the bridge railing that was destroyed in 1896. The Austro-Hungarian government authorities during the reconstruction changed the exterior.
According to an earlier signed protocol between TIKA and the municipality of Višegrad, the Turkish government will fully finance the return of the old splendor of the “mostu kome ravna nema” (bridge that has not flat) as was said by Ivo Andrić.
