Zvizdić: Transport and Energy Key Areas for Connectedness of Western Balkans Region

Chairman of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina Dr Denis Zvizidć attends the EBRD-organised Western Balkans Investment Conference, which started today in London. The aim of the Conference is further encouraging of cooperation and economic development of the region. Other than the Chairman, the EBRD Conference is attended by heads of Governments of Albania, Serbia, Croatia, Montenegro, Macedonia and Kosovo, as well as representatives of the European Union, IFIs and potential investors. 

In his address to the Conference Prime Ministers’ session,  Chairman  of the Council of Ministers of BIH Dr Denis Zvizidć said that the efforts on achieving a constructive and good faith cooperation in the region is one of priorities of the Council of Ministers and BIH’s foreign policy for the period to come.

“The regional cooperation and cohesion in the Western Balkans (especially in the context of the EU)” is extremely important for all of us. Let me mention a few positive examples of cooperation of BIH with the countries of the region, such as signing of an Agreement on Border with Montenegro, understanding on a joint infrastructure and diplomatic activity with Serbia (a joint session of the Council of Ministers of BIH and Government of Serbia), and signing if an Agreement on mutual travels of citizens of BIH and Albania. Holding of joint government sessions, especially with the neighbouring countries, becomes an inevitable approach to acceleration of solution-fining to important issues and cherishing of good neighbourly relations.

Joint session will soon take place with Governments of Croatia and of Montenegro.”

Chairman Zvizdić emphasised that the most relevant areas for linking of the countries of the region are transport and energy. He stressed that the Council of Ministers is decisive to continue efforts to implement transport and energy sectors projects, especially underlining a need for the Adriatic-Ionian Motorway and Adriatic-Ionian Gas Pipeline projects, both running though BIH territory.

“In that sense, we embarked decisively upon developing relevant energy strategy ”, as basis for candidacy of sector projects”, said Chairan Zvizdić , and added that the construction of the Corridor V c represents a priority of Bosnia and Herzegovina, as it represents a grounds for economic development and linking-up to the European corridors and to those of the neighbouring countries. Total V c corridor length is about 335 km, of which 92 km has been fully constructed and is operative.

Certain parts of the V c corridor, that we intent to present today to EBRD for funding have a high level of preparedness and their construction may start soon”, said Chairman Zvizdić in his address to the Conference.

“The other key area which link the region is the energy sector, Zvizdič said, adding that the early July 2015 Western Balkans 6 Prime Ministers’ meeting in the energy Community Secretariat in Vienna endorsed a Joint Declaration, the Annex of which listed 5 priority projects relating to regional connectedness, and the projects may be ready for implementation as early as this year, financed through the Western Balkans Investment Framework.

He pointed at inclusion of BIH into a 400 kV interconnection project with Serbia and Montenegro (Višegrad-Bajina Bašta-Pljevlja), which simultaneously opens corridors towards Romania and Bulgaria, as well as an underwater cable link towards Italy. The project value is EU 66 million.

“I urge the international financial institutions to support as many as possible projects, since they are expected to have concrete and visible effects, with immediate benefits to a large number of BIH citizens. The process also opens the way further, not only for the European integrations purposes of the region, but also for tis stabilisation. Bosnia and Herzegovina shows its commitment and decisiveness for a stronger regional connectedness also through very intensive activities of the State Investment Board, as a mechanism representing the basss for candidacy of infrastructural projets.”, Chairman Zvizić said at the Western Balkans Prime Ministers’ session, and added that BIH remains open for improvement of cooperation and partnership that may result in promotion, primarily by way of regional linking and economic cooperation, and eventually integration  into the European economic space.

The London EBRD Conference is attended by Minister fo Foreign Trade and Economic Relations of BIH Mirko Šarović and Manager of Public Company Motorway of Federation of IH Jasmin Bučo.

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