Komšić in Vienna: BiH and Austria's Economic Relations on the Rise

(Patria) - Long-standing and stable relations between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Austria were once again confirmed at an event held this evening in Vienna, attended by BiH Presidency member Željko Komšić.

- I am pleased to be in Austria today, a country with which Bosnia and Herzegovina shares not only historical ties but also deeply rooted economic, cultural, and human relations. This gathering reflects not only strong business connections.

The fact is that relations between countries today do not rest solely on political declarations, but increasingly on real economic ties, on investments, on knowledge exchange, and on the people who build these connections daily.

In this regard, I want to clearly emphasize that the strength of our relations is not only in good institutional relations; it is primarily reflected in you, the citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina living in Austria. You are the bridge that actively shapes the relations between the two countries - said Komšić.



According to him, Austria is one of the most important trading partners of BiH and one of the largest investors in our country.

- In 2025, the foreign trade exchange between BiH and Austria amounted to 2.59 billion convertible marks. Austrian investments in BiH reach around 1.5 billion euros and have contributed to the creation of more than 8,000 jobs across Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The economy is the most concrete form of international cooperation. Economic ties have special value because they create stability - stated, among other things, the member of the BiH Presidency.

The event, titled "ViennaLink Business Event - Promote & Connect," was held at Wolke19 in Ares Tower, one of the most prestigious event locations in the Austrian capital. It gathered more than 200 guests from the political, business, diplomatic, and cultural spheres of Austria and BiH.

The organizer of the event was the agency "ViennaLink Business Agency," which acts as a bridge between Bosnia and Herzegovina and its diaspora, with a special focus on the BiH community in Austria, which numbers almost 200,000 people.



The President of Austria, Alexander Van der Bellen, recently spoke about the quality of relations between the two countries during his visit to Sarajevo, emphasizing that Austrian officials believe that the future of Bosnia and Herzegovina lies in the European Union.

The owner and director of the agency "ViennaLink Business Agency," Hurem Avdić, thanked the attendees for coming, emphasizing that the goal of the event is strategic networking, improving cooperation, opening new business opportunities, and strengthening ties between BiH and its successful diaspora in Austria.

- I want to sincerely thank all of you for coming from different countries. "ViennaLink" connects - that is our vision and our path. We want to be a support, a partner, and a bridge that will build a better economic environment in the future.

The potentials we have in Bosnia and Herzegovina, in Austria, and throughout the region are truly enormous. Sometimes we are not even aware of how much we can achieve when we unite, when we exchange knowledge, and when we open doors for each other.

They say our dreams create our future. I deeply believe that is true, because everything we build today becomes reality tomorrow. The future belongs to those who build it, not to those who wait for it. May this event be exactly that, a moment when we build the future together, open new paths, and create new successes - said Avdić.



Šaban Forić, Deputy Ambassador of BiH to Austria, Denis Sakić on behalf of the City of Vienna, Nela Šljivljak from the Vienna Business Agency, and Dr. Georg Weingartner on behalf of the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber also addressed the attendees.

Among the more than 200 guests were three honorary consuls of BiH, successful entrepreneurs in Austria of BiH origin, representatives of large companies from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Austria, Slovenia, the Czech Republic, and Germany, representatives of ZEPS, mayors of several BiH municipalities, representatives of several BiH cantons, the Chamber of Crafts of the Una-Sana Canton, as well as the Bosnia International Forum.