Nikšić: Do everything necessary for Bosnian companies to get jobs for "Elektroprenos"

Union members from 14 companies in the electro-energy and metal sectors from all over BiH, including the giants “Energoinvest” and “Elektroinžinjering” from Banja Luka, have launched joint activities aimed at finding ways for these companies to participate together in the announced investment projects of “Elektroprenos BiH”. This initiative is supported by the Prime Minister of the Federation of BiH, Nermin Nikšić, who stated for the Patria News Agency that he will do everything in his power to ensure that companies from BiH get the jobs for network reconstruction.

- I fully support the letter from the union members sent to the Council of Ministers, requesting amendments to the Instructions on the Application of the Public Procurement Law, so that BiH companies can participate in the investments of “Elektroprenos BiH”. Everything else is up to us. We must create space and conditions for domestic companies to get these jobs – Nikšić told NAP.

He further stated that he certainly supports this initiative and that, from his side, just as he did in unblocking “Elektroprenos”, he will do everything to ensure that companies from BiH get these jobs.

- Of course, companies must also engage and organize, submit good offers, and guarantee quality execution of the works – added Nikšić.

The Prime Minister also noted that this is not impossible, just as it was not impossible to unblock the work of “Elektroprenos”, which has 300 million KM in its account, and which, according to the announcements of the company's director Matan Žarić, will be operational by April 10.

- While others were wondering and laughing, considering it would never happen, the day has come. Therefore, I am ready to do everything necessary from my side so that the jobs tendered by “Elektroprenos”, or rather, the money, goes to domestic companies – added Nikšić, emphasizing that he believes the unblocking of “Elektroprenos” was achieved with an extremely fair approach from the governments of both entities.

- We believe that this is one of the biggest integrative factors in BiH, that such a state company finally functions at full capacity. Here, there will not only be investments for network reconstruction, but also a number of jobs that will be opened in “Elektroprenos” for the citizens of BiH – revealed Nikšić.

The unblocking of “Elektroprenos” took three years, and Nikšić concludes that every effort and work pays off.

- It is easiest to argue and find reasons why you do not want to cooperate. We worked persistently, putting the pieces together, step by step, and now we have reached the point where “Elektroprenos” is on the verge of starting real work as it was intended – added Nikšić.