Milorad Dodik, President of Republika Srpska and leader of SNSD, confirmed the information he shared on social media that he has successfully negotiated the start of construction on the Belgrade-Sarajevo highway in Istanbul.
Dodik told Avaz that this involves a section of the route passing through Republika Srpska, the Sarajevo – Belgrade – Sarajevo corridor, specifically the segment from Vardište to Sarajevo and the part passing through the Brčko District.
He mentioned that the agreed sections include the stretch from Donje Vardište (near Višegrad) to East Sarajevo, which is 130 kilometers long, and the 33-kilometer segment through the Brčko District.
- We have defined a significant part of the conditions here, with their bank, for understandable reasons, I cannot disclose which bank, but we have secured over 500 million euros for work in Republika Srpska and the Brčko District. Republika Srpska will, of course, stand behind this. The next step is to, in line with the intergovernmental agreement between Serbia and BiH, bring this final agreement on the construction work to the Parliamentary Assembly and the Presidency of BiH, hopefully in September or by October at the latest – Dodik said.
The President of Srpska claims that this would complete the formal procedure and begin preparations for design and construction.
- The talks also involved a company representing the Turkish government, which has been designated to lead these discussions. I believe we have completed the most challenging part, which is ensuring that the financial terms are acceptable for us – Dodik stated.
He emphasized that it was not possible to discuss the highway route through the Federation at the meeting.
- Of course, the federal authorities are responsible for that, but I believe that this will accelerate processes in the Federation as well – he noted.
Dodik explained that there was a unified effort on this project, but issues arose concerning the Federation and the route.
- Whether it should go towards Doboj, Tuzla… As far as I know, that remains a problem even today. However, what is important is that the project has not been abandoned. Serbia has already built its portion; a bridge has been constructed on the section from the Belgrade-Zagreb highway to Rača. We are already constructing the section from Rača to Bijeljina. We are also negotiating the section for the Brčko District. What is crucial for Srpska is the section from East Sarajevo to Vardište – Dodik explained.
He believes this is important because building this section would resolve the road isolation of BiH.
- That is why I appeal to the authorities in the Federation to expedite these negotiations – Dodik urged.
Source: RTRS
