While You Slept: KS Assembly Approves New Million-Euro Borrowings

(Patria) - In the late night hours, after midnight, the deputies of the Assembly of Sarajevo Canton approved several decisions on new credit borrowings, totaling almost 28 million euros. The decisions were made with minimal discussion from the ruling majority, but significant debate from the opposition, which was critical of the way these items were presented.

The borrowings relate to the projects "Air Quality Improvement" and "Ilidža – Hrasnica Tram Line".

With the first borrowing, amounting to 22.7 million euros, the Sarajevo Canton commits to the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) within a project aimed at improving air quality, as stated. The loan has a term of 31 and a half years, with an eight-year grace period.

The project includes strengthening the air quality monitoring and management system, energy efficiency in households, and support for green urban mobility. The Ministries of Communal Economy and Transport of KS are responsible for implementation.

The second decision concerns an additional borrowing of five million euros from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) for the realization of the "Ilidža – Hrasnica Tram Line" project, with a repayment period of 15 years and a grace period of three years.
The Assembly also gave consent to the KS Institute for Construction and the Ministry of Transport to purchase and remove a temporary facility at Harisa Merzića Street 38, located on the route of the future tram line.

Although the projects were presented as investments in sustainable infrastructure and cleaner air, the session at which the decisions were made proceeded without broader public discussion on the long-term consequences of the new borrowings, which citizens will be repaying for the next three decades.

The session was adjourned during the consideration of the third proposal – an additional borrowing for the "Sarajevo Public Transport e-Mobility" project. The public will be informed later about the continuation of the session.