NEW BORDER CROSSING IN GRADIŠKA CONTINUES TO OPERATE WITHOUT DISRUPTION

BANJA LUKA, AUGUST 19 /SRNA/ - The Gradiška Novi Most-Gornji Varoš border crossing continues to operate without disruption, the Indirect Taxation Authority /ITA/ of BiH announced.

The ITA pointed out that on June 8, 2026, BiH and the Republic of Croatia signed an agreement on border crossings, with the signatory parties agreeing to the temporary application of the agreement as of the date of its signing.

"Given that the ITA, in accordance with its legally prescribed responsibilities, is obliged to fulfill the obligations assumed under the aforementioned Agreement, and that the same obligation also arises from Article 28 of the Law on procedure for signing and implementing international agreements, there was no longer any need for the temporary opening of the Gradiška Novi Most-Gornji Varoš crossing," the statement said.

The Embassy of the Republic of Croatia in Sarajevo confirmed by diplomatic note the mutual understanding of the two sides that, due to damage to the bridge at the Stara Gradiška-Gradiška border crossing, passenger and freight traffic would temporarily continue via the new bridge between Gornja Varoš and Gradiška.

The statement noted that, due to the inability of the customs office at the old location to operate following the collapse of the bridge, the customs office at the Gradiška border crossing had already been temporarily relocated to a new site- Gradiška Novi Most - using the code and seal of the Gradiška Customs Office, as well as its IT infrastructure.

"Even after August 19, passenger and freight traffic through the Gradiška Novi Most-Gornji Varoš border crossing, as well as customs operations, will continue to run regularly at this location, as they have until now," the ITA statement added.

At today's session, the Council of Ministers did not adopt a decision on the temporary closure of the Gradiška-Stara Gradiška border crossing for international passenger and freight traffic. Four votes were in favour of its adoption in the second round of voting, while five were against.