GRADIŠKA: Part of the pedestrian section of the bridge over the Sava River collapsed, BiH Council of Ministers to convene

(Patria) - Following the collapse of a part of the pedestrian walkway on the bridge over the Sava River connecting Gradiška and Stara Gradiška, the Ministry of Communications and Transport of Bosnia and Herzegovina is in constant communication with competent institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Republic of Croatia with the aim of assessing the condition of the bridge and undertaking necessary measures.

According to currently available information, the collapse occurred early this morning after midnight, after which the competent police services suspended traffic over the bridge, as well as on the access roads in Gradiška, temporarily halting the operation of the Gradiška border crossing.

Expert teams from Putevi Republike Srpske and Hrvatske ceste d.o.o. have been dispatched to the scene to conduct a detailed inspection of the bridge's condition and assess the safety of its further use. More information on the extent of the damage and potential repair measures will be known after the expert inspection is completed.

The Ministry of Communications and Transport of Bosnia and Herzegovina, along with the Ministry of the Sea, Transport and Infrastructure of the Republic of Croatia, is responsible for implementing the Agreement on the Maintenance of International Bridges on the border between BiH and Croatia, with the financing of maintenance and reconstruction being on a 50:50 basis, while tasks related to bridge maintenance are carried out through competent road infrastructure managers/bodies, namely JP Putevi RS in this specific case from the BiH side, and Hrvatske ceste from the Croatian side. We remind you that the bridge was built in 1956. The total length of the bridge is 240 m.

Given the importance of this border crossing for international passenger and freight traffic, an extraordinary session of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina will be held to consider information from competent institutions, the condition of the bridge, and urgent activities aimed at restoring safe traffic flow as soon as possible.

The Ministry of Communications and Transport of Bosnia and Herzegovina will continue to monitor the situation and inform the public in a timely manner about all further activities, it was announced.

The Indirect Taxation Authority (UIO) also announced that they are ready to provide all necessary conditions for the new Gradiška Novi most - Gornji Varoš border crossing to be opened today, located on the Banja Luka – Gradiška highway and next to the new Sava River bridge.

This is necessary after traffic was suspended at the old Gradiška border crossing due to damage to the bridge structure, which temporarily halted traffic over one of the most important international border crossings in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The Gradiška border crossing in the north of Bosnia and Herzegovina is the only border crossing with BIP status in this part of BiH, which allows the transit of all types of goods subject to full veterinary, phytosanitary, and other inspection supervision. Besides it, the border crossing with such status in Bosnia and Herzegovina is Bijača in the south of the country.

Given the importance of the unimpeded flow of goods, especially goods of animal and plant origin, as well as overall international transport, the Indirect Taxation Authority of BiH is prepared to carry out all necessary organizational, technical, and operational activities in the shortest possible time to put the new Gradiška Novi most - Gornji Varoš border crossing into operation today during the day.

The goal is to help the domestic economy, carriers, and citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina, reduce the economic consequences of traffic disruptions, and enable the unimpeded flow of people and goods in the north of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The Indirect Taxation Authority of BiH is in constant coordination with all competent institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Republic of Croatia in order to re-establish the normal regime of international traffic as soon as possible.