Bosnia and Herzegovina ranked second on the list of the most corrupt countries in Europe this year, and if it wants to lose this infamous position next year, it needs to fight this scourge that is widespread at all levels of government more effectively. Both domestic and international courts are investigating possible misuse of funds in the construction of the Corridor 5c highway.
And the public expects even more intensive work on the highway, because the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina has so far built half of the corridor and the construction site is only expected to open on the most complex and demanding parts of this large infrastructure project. New kilometers of the highway are under construction, and authorities claim that the money for it has been secured.
There is no suspension of financing for Corridor 5c, the European Investment Bank and other international creditors continue to strongly support the construction of this important road corridor. Thus, the Federation Motorways denied allegations that international creditors have withdrawn from the project. In early September, they claim, a tranche in the amount of more than 135 million euros was realized.
“Cooperation with the European Investment Bank is stable, continuous and has never been questioned by any contracting party. Of course, the pre-investigation activities carried out by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office and the domestic prosecutor’s offices in Bosnia and Herzegovina have as their ultimate goal the elimination of all anomalies in the construction of Corridor Vc. The management of the Public Company Autoceste FBiH continuously and dedicatedly cooperates with everyone in order to eliminate them,” stated the Public Company Autoceste FBiH.
Autoceste states that the significant financial inflow not only confirms the undiminished trust of the key international partner, but also refutes all allegations of any suspension. We have seen that the works are continuing at an unabated pace on the Medakovo – Ozimice section. The deadline for completion on this section is June next year.
“As of November this year, all due obligations for all four contracting parties, or for all four participants in the highway construction process on this project, have been settled. Officially, we have not received any document at the construction site that mentions any suspension of financing or problems with financing,” says Alem Kovačević, representative of the Public Company Autoceste FBiH.
We note that due to suspicions of crime in the Federation Highways, members of the FUP acted on orders from prosecutors on several occasions, and last year five people were arrested, including the former director of the Highways Elmedin Voloder. The European Prosecutor’s Office is also conducting an investigation, but against the current director and executive director on suspicion of misuse of money, and accusations of rigging a multi-million-dollar tender. The non-governmental sector warns of the possibility of the company’s credibility collapsing.
“We are not going into who is right. Of course, the investigation will show that. However, all this that is happening has certainly destroyed the credibility of Bosnia and Herzegovina. That financing may be jeopardized in the long term and that risk exists, because international creditors look at such things,” warns Srđan Traljić, Public Relations Manager at Transparency International BiH.
Recall that last week, two 11-kilometer sections connecting Poprikuše, Nemila and Vranduk were opened to traffic, and the European Investment Bank is a co-financier, Federalna writes.