Section of the road from Odžak to Svilaj will be fully operational upon completion of the border crossing and Svilaj bridge

ODŽAK, (Patria) - The Odžak - Svilaj highway section, 10.7 km in length, was officially presented to the media today and will be used by local residents for transport.

Adnan Terzić, director of JP Autoceste FBiH, stated that a permit for the construction of the border crossing is still pending, but added that once the Svilaj bridge is completed, this part of Bosnia and Herzegovina will be connected to the corridors and main roads of European routes.

- We did not have the possibility to secure loan funds from the EBRD for the second phase without an increase in excise taxes, but together with Minister Lasić, our Supervisory Board, and internal resources, we managed to find funds and pre-finance it until the conditions are met for the EBRD to provide the signed financial resources – Terzić said.

He stated that the consortium Eurosfalt, ŽGP, and Strabag did everything to minimize problems for the Autoceste Management in the realization of this project.

- For the next two years, until the Svilaj bridge is completed, this facility will primarily benefit the local population and the city of Odžak. I hope that investors will recognize the significance of opening this area towards Europe – Terzić said.

Melvin Asin, Head of Cooperation at the EU Delegation to BiH, stated that the common goal is to improve infrastructure between BiH and its neighbors across the Western Balkans, and between the region and the European Union.

We are also helping to connect people not only through infrastructure but also through the overall social and economic situation. I have inspected 10.7 km of modern highway, which is proof of the European Union's commitment to BiH. The EU co-financed the works with 17.5 million euros from the EU grant for the Western Balkans. This budget is part of a package worth 25 million euros that we allocated to support the connectivity agenda in 2015. This also includes a modern border crossing on the highway, a 600-meter border bridge over the Sava River, which is currently under construction.

Goran Pavić, on behalf of the contractors, stated that the project was successfully completed within the deadline and that numerous Bosnian companies worked on the construction site, both as contractors and subcontractors.

- This project will be fully functional once the customs crossing and the Svilaj bridge are completed.