Preparatory works for the construction of the University Library begin in autumn

Preparatory works for the construction of the University Library in the Campus will begin in autumn, after the University of Sarajevo, in accordance with the BiH Public Procurement Law, conducts the procedure for selecting the most favorable contractor,” announced the rector of the University of Sarajevo, Muharem Avdispahić, as reported by the Patria news agency.

This procedure is specified in the Agreement on the Implementation of the Project for the Construction and Equipping of the aforementioned library from the Budget of the Sarajevo Canton for 2015, which was signed today by the Minister of Education, Science and Youth of Sarajevo Canton, Elvir Kazazović, and Rector Avdispahić.

- Given that the government in the previous term gave consent to accept funds from the Saudi Development Fund in the amount of 17,187,500.00 EUR for the construction and equipping of the library, which is the largest grant of its kind, and committed to securing the necessary missing funds in the Sarajevo Canton Budget in the amount of 3,162,500.00 EUR or 6,185,312.37 KM, the current government has planned 1,000,000.00 KM in this year's budget - stated Minister Kazazović after signing the Agreement, adding that this library will be one of the most modern and best-equipped in the region.

This agreement stipulates that the mentioned funds will be used for the preparation of a project for the demolition of existing buildings, obtaining consents for the issuance of a permit for the removal of existing structures, their demolition, site preparation and infrastructure arrangement, preparation of a survey of underground installations, issuance of a building permit for the library, and all other necessary preparatory activities and required works.

Rector Avdispahić emphasized that the University of Sarajevo is also tasked with forming a Team for the implementation of this project and submitting the decision to the relevant ministry.

At the same time, the Ministry of Education, Science and Youth will transfer the mentioned funds to the University of Sarajevo after they submit contracts with selected contractors and advance and interim payment certificates verified by the University of Sarajevo and the Institute. It was also highlighted that the Ministry will regularly report on the implementation of this grant and all conducted activities to higher levels of government.

In 2013, the Sarajevo Canton Government tasked the Institute for Construction of Sarajevo Canton with providing necessary technical and professional assistance during the implementation of this project at the Campus location.

Incidentally, the Agreement lists the procedure carried out so far, according to which the Sarajevo Canton Government adopted a conclusion in November 2012 accepting this project.

Subsequently, in March 2013 in Riyadh, representatives of the Saudi Fund for Development of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Ministry of Finance and Treasury of BiH, the Federal Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Education, Science and Youth of Sarajevo Canton, and the University of Sarajevo initialed a Memorandum of Understanding for the mentioned grant between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and BiH. Positive opinions on this project were previously given by the Presidency and the Council of Ministers of BiH, as well as the Federation Government.

The conceptual design of the library building was created by the Faculty of Architecture of the University of Sarajevo.