Nikšić: Current FBiH Government Invested 10 Times More in Mines Than All Previous Governments Combined

Prime Minister of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Nermin Nikšić and Federal Minister of Finance Ante Krajina spoke today with Menno Snel, Executive Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) responsible for Bosnia and Herzegovina, reports the Patria news agency.

During the talks at the seat of the Federal Government in Sarajevo, both sides highlighted good cooperation and that truly partnership relations have been established.

- Without such partnership relations, we would not be able to provide you with assistance - said Menno Snel, adding that the IMF has recognized the reform commitments and efforts of the FBiH Government.

Prime Minister Nikšić thanked for the engagement of the IMF and its experts, especially for the very swift reaction when Bosnia and Herzegovina needed assistance after this year's catastrophic floods.

The Executive Director of the IMF was presented with the results on strengthening fiscal discipline and preserving fiscal stability in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which is also supported by the indicator that the FBiH Government has reduced public spending to the level of 2008.

One of the results of these activities is that in June of this year, for the first time since the war, the number of registered employees in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina exceeded 440,000, which is the only recorded increase in employment in the region.

- We have accelerated investments in infrastructure and we are proud that by the end of the mandate of this FBiH Government, between 102 and 105 kilometers of highway will be built, compared to 37 kilometers that we inherited at the beginning of the mandate - said Nikšić, adding that the procedure for enabling investments of more than one billion euros in the energy sector is nearing completion.

Nikšić also said that during the mandate of the current Federal Government, ten times more has been invested in mines in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina than during the mandates of all previous governments combined.