A European country is building a new highway with the hopes that it will bring a future and stronger relationship with the EU.
Bosnia and Herzegovina, also referred to as Bosnia, found in southeast Europe, is working on the highway, which is one of the biggest infrastructure projects of the Western Balkans.
Transport Corridor Vc will connect the Croatian port of Ploče with the Bosnian capital, Sarajevo and other industrial cities along the line, which will go from the north to the south.
It will not only link the country with nearby areas but will create better connections for Bosnia-Herzegovina across the whole Balkan region, allowing it to create ties with the European markets.
Plans for the road were launched over 20 years ago – however there were a significant number of delays. Today, just over 32 miles of the proposed 209-mile highway is under construction.
Transport Corridor Vc is expected to cost a whopping £3.7bn, with various organisations contributing to it. Over £725 million in grants from the EU have been put into the project, and the European Investment Bank, as well as the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, have handed over a loan of around £833 million loan each.
The need for the motorway comes as an increasing number of European companies have opened production sites in Bosnia due to the low labour costs. However, the lack of good infrastructure makes it difficult to deliver goods to European countries.
NCMC, based in Bosnia, is a leading global provider of warehouse installations and smart storage solutions. The company is one of many that “face challenges” by the country’s road conditions due to it being a “100% export company.”
Bosnia is not part of the European Union, which acts as an additional obstacle when trying to transport goods.
Armin Mevic, a trucker driver shared how the highway would benefit business in the country as crossing the EU external borders causes delays for industrial workers.
He said: “Once it was so crowded, that we had to wait for 24 hours from Bosnia to the European Union. The highway will make our job much easier. I am glad that it is being built and that we finally have at least the biggest cities in BiH connected by the highway.”
EU grants can take years to be approved, which is contributing to the delayed progression of the build. However Ferdinand Koenig, head of communication at the EU Delegation to Bosnia and Herzegovina in Sarajevo, has shared that the target of completion for the highway is 2030.
