Brussels, 05/01/2009 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday 18 December, the European Investment Bank (EIB) decided to lend €75 million to co-finance the construction of a motorway section through the north of Sarajevo in Bosnia and Herzegovina on the trans-European Corridor Vc, which runs through the country from south to north, connecting Ploce to Sarajevo, Sarajevo Bypass Osjek in Croatia and ultimately Budapest in Hungary.
The EIB loan will provide co-financing for the new motorway section between Kakanj and Zenica, extending the existing motorway North of Sarajevo by some 15 km, with a full dual carriageway motorway profile. The new motorway section will contribute to improving transport conditions on what is one of the busiest roads in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and is expected to facilitate further economic development in the area by shortening travel times, reducing vehicle operating costs, and improving safety.
At the same time, the construction of Sarajevo Bypass, co-financed by the EIB under a separate loan, is also progressing. After the completion of the Kakanj-Zenica section and Sarajevo Bypass some 60 km of continuous motorway will be available around Sarajevo.
Further priority sections on Corridor Vc are already being considered by the EIB, namely Vlakovo-Tarcin South of Sarajevo, extending Sarajevo Bypass, and the connections with Croatia Mostar-Poèitelj-Bijaèa in the South and Svilaj-Odzak in the North of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The investment projects will be co-financed by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). (O.L./transl.jl)