Croatian and Bosnian transport ministers meet to discuss projects

Zagreb, May 3 2012 - Minister of Maritime affairs, Transport and Infrastructure Siniša Hajdaš Dončić with his associates welcomed Damir Hadžić, Minister of Communications and Transport of the Bosnia and Hercegovina, in the Ministerium's HQ building

Croatia will draft an agreement on the construction of a road corridor skirting the Bosnian coastal town of Neum, while Bosnia and Herzegovina will draft an agreement on the advanced use of the Croatian port of Ploce and the Metkovic-Ploce railway line, the two countries' transport ministers said after their meeting in Zagreb on Thursday.

The territory of Croatia lying northwest and southeast of the stretch of the Adriatic coast that belongs to Bosnia and Herzegovina might be connected by a road corridor passing through Neum's hinterland. The project would cost five million euros and would require a favourable opinion from the European Commission, said the Croatian Minister of Maritime Affairs, Transport and Infrastructure, Sinisa Hajdas Doncic, and the Bosnian Minister of Communications and Transport, Damir Hadzic.

They agreed on work to be done preparatory to the signing of an agreement on the construction of a 5.5 km-long stretch of

road that would skirt the Bosnian coastal town of Neum. The section would be connected to an existing road, Croatia would have a concession on it, and vehicles would not be allowed to stop on that stretch.

Hajdas Doncic said that the project was cheap and could be completed quickly. The Bosnian part of the road would be built by Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Croatian part by Croatia.

The Croatian minister said that work on the construction of a bridge across the River Sava at Svilaj, along the international transport corridor 5C, would begin in late June and that the project would be funded in equal proportions by Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Zagreb, May 3 2012 - ministers agreed the bilateral terms of the interstate bridge construction over the Sava river, near by the Svilaj, and the ministers also agreed about the making of the proposal Agreement on construction of the Neum corridor and the access road in lenght of about 6 kilometers, without tunnel building, what will connect the terriotorial far south with the rest of the State

Hadzic said that they had also discussed efforts to define a new agreement on the use of the Croatian Adriatic port of Ploce. Given the new circumstances, namely the forthcoming accession of Croatia to the European Union, the two governments should define a new agreement on the use of the Port of Ploce and the Metkovic-Ploce railway line.

It was agreed that an agreement on the advanced use of the port and the railway line would be drafted by Bosnia and Herzegovina. This agreement, too, requires approval from the European Commission.

Hadzic noted that Bosnia and Herzegovina had ratified the existing agreement on the use of the Port of Ploce, while the Croatian Parliament had not done it yet, which he said was damaging to both countries.

Zagreb, May 3 2012 - at this meeting ministers agreed on bilateral level the ongoing cooperation between two States in the matter of the key issues in the matter of the transport, establishing of the work groups, and the final agreement of this proposals with the EC

Also discussed was the issue of airspace control, which Bosnian authorities would like to assume from Croatia and Serbia next year, and a full agreement on it was reached today, Hadzic said.

(Hina)