Bridge "Hercegovina" Officially Opened, BiH Gets New 11 Kilometers of Highway

(Patria) - The Počitelj - Zvirovići section of the Corridor 5c highway and the "Hercegovina" bridge were officially opened tonight with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and fireworks. This adds 11.7 kilometers of highway to Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The ceremony began with the anthem of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and a cultural and artistic program was also presented, reports Fena.

Numerous representatives from the economic, political, and public life of both Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia attended the opening ceremony. The Prime Minister of Croatia, Andrej Plenković, also arrived at the ceremony.



The opening of this section to traffic is planned for tomorrow at 12:00 PM.

Denis Lasić, Director of the Public Enterprise Autoceste FBiH, stated that the "Hercegovina" bridge is the most complex infrastructure facility on the entire corridor and one of the highest in this part of Europe.

- Its value is even greater because it will directly connect us to the European Union, specifically the Bijača Border Crossing - Lasić added.

He emphasized that numerous factors influenced the completion of the works and highlighted the importance of highway construction for tourism.

- Highway construction is not only a demanding civil engineering feat but also a significant economic boost. It is also the construction of a modern, functional, and pro-European Bosnia and Herzegovina that we aspire to - said Lasić.

He announced that three more contracts for the section to Mostar Sjever will be signed by the end of this year. As he stated, this will fully awaken the construction sector in southern Herzegovina all the way to Mostar Sjever.

He stressed that they currently have active construction sites on 50 kilometers of the section in the northern part, from Sarajevo towards Odžak, and expect that part to be fully completed by 2026.

- We have the Prenj tunnel ahead of us as one of the most demanding sections, for which we are signing a contract at the end of this year, and at the beginning of 2030, we will be at the border, where we aim to completely finish the corridor - Lasić added.

Nermin Nikšić, Prime Minister of FBiH, emphasized that this is a great day for Bosnia and Herzegovina.

- Today, we have 11 new kilometers on Corridor Vc, we have the impressive "Hercegovina" bridge, and soon we will be signing new contracts and launching new investments. Our goal is to turn the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina into a large construction site - Nikšić added.

He thanked international creditors and the European Union, emphasizing that this is another step on Bosnia and Herzegovina's path towards the EU.



Borjana Krišto, Chairwoman of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina, stated in her address that this bridge will further contribute to the country's economy.

- This bridge not only connects the south and north of Bosnia and Herzegovina but also the corridor through Croatia, enabling multifaceted economic development.

This project gives a new dimension to the development of Bosnia and Herzegovina and sets a high bar. This is the foundation for the continuation of road infrastructure construction - Krišto added.

The "Hercegovina" bridge is a strategic infrastructure project that connects the southern part of Bosnia and Herzegovina with the European network of transport corridors. It is part of the Počitelj - Zvirovići subsection, which spans 11.07 kilometers and connects Počitelj to the Croatian border via the Bijača border crossing.

The "Hercegovina" bridge crosses the Neretva River and stands out for its height, with the highest pillar reaching 97 meters, making it the highest bridge on Corridor 5c and one of the highest bridges in this part of Europe.


Bridge "Hercegovina" (Photo: Patria)

The opening of this bridge represents a significant step in the transport connectivity of Bosnia and Herzegovina with the European Union, and the new infrastructure project is expected to improve economic conditions and enhance the region's tourism potential, providing better transport links and facilitating access to key tourist destinations.

The total value of the works on the Počitelj - Zvirovići subsection is 101.3 million euros excluding VAT, of which 30.4 million euros excluding VAT is for the "Hercegovina" bridge itself.