Chairman Zvizdić at Poznan Summit: BIH Got EUR 96.8 Million Grant for Motorway Construction

Chairman of the Council of Ministers of BIH Dr Denis Zvizdić takes part at the Western Balkan Prime Ministers Summit (WB6 + EU8) in the Polish city of Poznan. The Summit takes place within the Berlin Process, and Bosnia and Herzegovina got approved a package of three investment projects in the transport sector. 

These are EUR 96.8 million grant funds fioor the Corridor V c motorway sections (sections parts Vukosavlje – Doboj, Zenica North – Žepče South, and Žepče South – Doboj South ). The total value of the three projects is EUR 433.39 million.

Chairman Zvizdić said in his address that the future of EU membership remains the road without alternative, for Bosnia and Herzegovina as well as for the entire region, adding that the membership prospects serve as an incentive for all reform processes in society, public administration and economy. The stressed that a full integration of the Western Balkans serves the best interest of the continent, implying the necessity of maintaining the momentum of enlargement, based on regional cooperation, good neighbourhood relations and the principle of own good results. He added that countries, although at various phases of reforms and development, share a common feature of standing below the European development average indices.

That is why all the Western Balkans countries need to join their efforts, in order to overcome the gap and provide to their citizens a higher living standard, better welfare and health protection, better education and more just distribution of social wealth, otherwise will face both social and political instability.

Chairman Zvizdić said that good political cooperation, political stability, and economic reforms are the basic preconditions for coping with major issues at the Western Balkans, and that the common market is much more attractive to foreign investors if not divided along the national borders. He emphasised the urgency for extension of connectedness within the region, as well as between the region and EU. He added that the connectedness should be taken in a much broader sense than infrastructure construction and it should include business and digital linkage, cultural exchange and youth cooperation, which will improve region’s aptness to compete at the global level.

He added that Bosnia and Herzegovina has applied for the highest number of investment projects and has got the highest grant resources within the Western Balkans Investment Fund for 2019, worth total EUR 3.3 billion.

Chairman Zvizdić shared his view that it is vitally important for all the countries to implement measures set forth under the Consolidated Multi-Annual Action Plan for Regional Economic Area in the Western Balkans (MAP REA), to make Western Balkans economies more attractive to investors, consequently realising the accelerated economic growth and preparedness of these economies for joining the EU.

“With a deeper economic integration, we dispatch a clear political message about more profound mutual cooperation and overcoming of outstanding issues for our common interest”, Chairman Zvizdić said.

Chairman Zvizdić concluded as to the obligations assumed at previous berlin process summits and Multi-annual Action Plan for regional Economic Area within WB6, reaffirmed at the Trieste Summit, although a certain progress has been made, still efforts should be intensified in specific areas.

He expressed his satisfaction for two relevant declarations were signed today, namely, the Declaration on Recognition of Academic Qualifications in Western Balkans and Western Balkans Declaration on Roma Population and Enlargement of the European Union. He welcomed the signing of a Memorandum on Establishment of International Institute for Sustainable technology in South East Europe, as well as a regional Agreement on Decrease of roaming Costs, which is a clear indication how the cooperation may yield a tangible benefit to citizens. Chairman Zvizdić said that digital transformation of societies and economies of the countries of the region must be high on the agenda both with governments and business communities.

“The region must use the opportunities offered by digitalisation, in order to become a more desirable place for business making and investments, in addition to having digitally equipped, capacitated and networked regional companies better placed at the international market, Chairman Zvizdić said.

At the end of his address, Chairman Zvizdić appealed to the EU member countries, with which Western Balkans economic make an excellent economic cooperation, to support argumentation of the countries affected by the EU protective measures on still products, and to make consideration while voting on the measures revision of the expressed need for the disrupted traditional trade in the sector  to return to its previous schemes.

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