Jusko and Sinno Discuss Transport Community and Excise Law

Minister of Communications and Transport of Bosnia and Herzegovina Ismir Jusko met today with the Deputy Head of the EU Delegation in Sarajevo, Khaldoun Sinno. Topics of discussion included the signing of the Agreement on the Transport Community and the adoption of the Excise Law on petroleum derivatives. Minister Jusko informed the Deputy Head of the EU Delegation about the current status of Bosnia and Herzegovina regarding the Transport Community Agreement, and emphasized the great importance of the Transport Community for the development of transport infrastructure in Bosnia and Herzegovina, reports the Patria agency. 

Sinno praised the work of the Ministry of Communications and Transport of Bosnia and Herzegovina so far, and pointed out the importance of signing the Transport Community Agreement as soon as possible. The Deputy Head of the EU Delegation reiterated the European Commission's support for four projects from Bosnia and Herzegovina that were positively assessed and supported in Trieste, emphasizing the letter sent by EU Enlargement Commissioner Johannes Hahn to the Chairman of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina Denis Zvizdić, in which Bosnia and Herzegovina is requested to sign the Transport Community Agreement by the end of September and to adopt the Excise Law as soon as possible. Sinno repeated Commissioner Hahn's warning that if the Agreement on accession to the Transport Community is not signed within the given deadline, the funds allocated to Bosnia and Herzegovina at the summit in Trieste in the amount of 500 million KM will be redirected to projects in neighboring countries in the region.

Furthermore, in addition to this loss, Bosnia and Herzegovina, as the only country in the region that has not joined the Transport Community, will also lose all other benefits arising from membership in the Transport Community.  

Regarding the Excise Law, Sinno emphasized the importance of its adoption, as it would enable further significant investment by international creditors in the infrastructural development of Bosnia and Herzegovina, primarily Corridor 5C.