Košarac and Field: BiH is making maximum efforts to prevent and combat the epidemic

(Patria) - Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations of BiH Staša Košarac spoke today with the Ambassador of Great Britain to BiH Matthew Field about the current epidemiological situation and the consequences of the coronavirus epidemic on the economy in BiH.

Minister Košarac said that all levels of government in BiH are making maximum efforts to prevent and combat the epidemic, emphasizing that the key priority is to protect the health of citizens and preserve the stability of the healthcare system in the country.

He informed Ambassador Field about the activities and measures undertaken by the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations of BiH in cooperation with the competent entity ministries to mitigate the negative effects of the coronavirus on domestic economic capacities. In this context, the interlocutors assessed that the establishment of a list of vital products with facilitated transit at defined border crossings between CEFTA countries, thanks to the system of green priority lanes, was of exceptional importance in the current epidemiological situation.

Speaking about the need to protect domestic producers, Minister Košarac emphasized that placing their products on new markets is one of the support measures, especially when it comes to surplus production. He recalled that BiH was recently approved to export pork to North Macedonia, and that in cooperation with entity ministries and competent agencies, through contacts with the European Commission, the possibility is being sought for BiH to transport live cattle via the port of Ploče to third-country markets.

At the meeting, Great Britain expressed its readiness to help BiH in mitigating the negative consequences of the coronavirus, especially concerning domestic tourism capacities.

The interlocutors agreed, among other things, that it is necessary to continue activities on signing an agreement on the continuation of trade between BiH and Great Britain, as this country is no longer a member of the EU.