The first planes from the airport in Herzegovina, whose construction could start by the end of next year, will most likely take off in 2022, the Minister of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure and Deputy Prime Minister of Serbia Zorana Mihajlović said in an interview with “Glas Srpske”.
She emphasized that depending on the chosen location and the chosen model, the duration of the construction of the airport can be different.
– The pandemic did not slow down the construction of the Belgrade-Sarajevo highway – Mihajlović added and stated that it was important for Serbia and Srpska to be better connected in terms of infrastructure.
She reminded that Srpska and Serbia will jointly build an airport in Trebinje.
– Immediately after the agreement between the President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, and the Serbian member of the Presidency of BiH, Milorad Dodik, we proposed to the authorities from Srpska three possible locations for airports, near Trebinje, two and one near Gacko. After analyzing the locations, we will decide on the final one at the ministerial level. After that, Srpska will prepare the planning documentation and an agreement will be made on determining-establishing the future airport operator, financing the technical documentation and performing the works – said Mihajlović.
She pointed out, given the complex planning procedures and the period necessary for the preparation of technical documentation and obtaining building permits, the works at the main airport in Trebinje could start in the second half at the earliest, ie by the end of 2021.
– Also, depending on the selected location and the selected model of the airport, the duration of construction may be different. The works will be performed in phases. In that way, we would try to provide conditions for the first planes to take off from the airport in Trebinje in 2022. It will take up to four years to develop the full, proposed capacity. In addition to connections with Banja Luka, Sarajevo, Mostar, Tuzla and airports in Serbia and other surrounding countries, this airport would enable citizens and businesses in Serbia to connect with the whole world, in terms of the traffic it would be an alternative to airports in Dubrovnik and Tivat. Trebinje Airport is planned in a quality higher than all in the area – stated Mihajlović.
When it comes to the construction of the highway Sarajevo – Belgrade, she stated that it started in 2019 on the section Sremska Rača – Kuzmin.
– The length of this section is about 18 kilometers, and the value of the works is about 220 million euros, including the construction of a new bridge over the Sava. Construction sites in Serbia did not stop during the whole epidemic, nor during the state of emergency. This also applies to this project. This week, on the construction site of this section, where the main contractor is the Turkish company “Tasjapi”, on the location of the new bridge over the Sava, there are about 140 workers and about 100 units of mechanization. For the second section, Požega – Užice – Kotroman (border with BiH), the preparation of project-technical documentation has begun. The length of this section will be about 60 kilometers. The value of the Belgrade-Sarajevo highway on the territory of Serbia is estimated at 1.05 billion euros, and including the shares in BiH, the total value is two billion euros, which makes this project one of the most valuable in the region.
The President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, announced that Serbia would allocate 100 million euros for the section from Bijeljina to Rača, out of the required 140 million euros.
– It is important that Serbia and Srpska, ie Serbia and BiH, are better connected in terms of infrastructure, due to the faster development of the region. The construction of the Brčko – Bijeljina – Rača highway will contribute to that, in the financing of which Serbia will also participate. Serbia is already building a section of the highway Sremska Rača – Kuzmin, which should be further connected with the sections whose construction is planned on the territory of BiH, where Bijeljina is the first important point with which this highway will be connected. We expect talks on concrete steps related to the implementation of the construction of the highway on the section from Bijeljina to Rača.
He expects that a new bridge over the Drina, between Ljubovija and Bratunac, will finally be opened to traffic by this year, and for that, it is necessary to complete the construction of a joint border crossing on the territory of BiH.
– In addition, the reconstruction of 11 bridges between Serbia and BiH is planned – said Mihajlović.
TST