ZAGREB, March 13, 2018 – The European Commission has set aside a 6.8 million euro grant for the construction of a new bridge across the Sava river near Bosanska Gradiška, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), which will connect Croatia and BiH, and an agreement on the activation of the funds was signed in Banja Luka, BiH on Tuesday.
Another step has been made in bringing the countries together, which is the beginning of construction of a bridge in Gradiška, the head of the European Union Delegation to BiH, Lars-Gunnar Wigemark said, adding that this would bring BiH closer to the EU.
The agreement signed by representatives of the European Investment Bank and the BiH Council of Ministers envisages the co-financing of a new border crossing, a bridge, and access roads in BiH.
An additional 47 million euro agreement was signed for the completion of a Banja Luka-Doboj motorway by the end of this year, which is expected to shorten travel from Croatia to central and south BiH.
As part of the Connectivity Agenda for the Western Balkan, the EU has set aside one billion euro for financing of infrastructure projects expected to connect the countries in the region, including the Gradiška bridge. The bridge will cost 22.3 million euro, which Croatia and BiH are co-financing equally.
Croatia also has to build a connecting road to the Zagreb-Lipovac motorway, for which 65 million kuna is required. It plans to cover 85% of its costs from European funds.
