ĆURIĆ: CITY IN STRONG INVESTMENT AND CONSTRUCTION DEVELOPMENT

TREBINJE, JUNE 9 /SRNA/ - The City of Trebinje is recording strong investment and construction development, and numerous projects are underway, including infrastructural ones that accompany intensive housing construction and economic expansion, stated the Mayor of Trebinje Mirko Ćurić.

Ćurić told SRNA that work on the Trebinje bypass has continued, as well as plans for the construction of a road section that would connect the Gorica and Police neighborhoods via the railway bridge, where, as he pointed out, there were previously major problems and a traffic bottleneck.

"We have had major problems there so far, where large traffic jams occurred. We plan to build a more modern and wider section together with Putevi Republike Srpske," said Ćurić.

He pointed out that there are plans to announce a tender for the construction of a square in Gorica, the neighborhood with the largest number of residents in Trebinje, and that this project is expected to be significant.

According to him, three new hotels are currently being built in the city area, as well as a large Lidl shopping center, while intensive housing construction is underway at the same time.

"As for apartments, a large number are currently being built in the Trebinje area, and what is significant is that, according to our information, all those apartments are sold before construction is completed. This shows that there is still a great deal of interest," Ćurić pointed out.

He emphasized that the goal of the City Administration is to follow this development through investments in infrastructure, primarily the water supply, electricity, and road networks.

Speaking about infrastructural projects, he noted that the construction of the sewage and stormwater network in the Police neighborhood is currently underway, worth around five million KM, which represents one of the largest infrastructure undertakings in that part of the city in several decades.

"This is a project being implemented after 50 or more years since the neighborhood began to be built, so it is very important for us to follow that development," stated Ćurić.

He said that the City Administration is also investing in suburban and rural areas wherever there is a need, noting that budget capacities are limited, and that funds from rent and construction land development are directed toward infrastructure.

"We are looking to accommodate people who are building, and from those development costs, to provide everything necessary so that infrastructure reaches every plot," he said.

Ćurić thanked the citizens for their patience during the execution of the works, stating that Trebinje is developing in all four directions.

When it comes to priorities in the next 12 months, he highlighted the continuation of the construction of the sewage and stormwater network, the improvement of the water supply system from the City of Sun complex toward the Free Zone, and the construction of a promenade toward Novo Trebinje, a road section of about 4.1 kilometers.

The completion of work on a building for refugees and displaced persons is also planned, for which support from the Government of Republika Srpska in the amount of 900,000 KM has been secured, after which the city of Trebinje will have eight apartments at its disposal.

Special emphasis, he says, is also placed on sports infrastructure, where the completion of works on the auxiliary stadium is expected, including locker rooms, stands, and landscaping, as well as additional investments in the sports hall.

"Our youth, especially up to 18 years of age, achieve exceptional results in various sports in Trebinje, and we want to provide them with the best possible conditions," said Ćurić.

Speaking about urban development, he emphasized that they are insisting on stopping construction that would disrupt the current ambiance in the city center, and by launching the Novo Trebinje project, they want to support construction, but not at any cost, rather to preserve the authenticity of the inner city core.

"We don't want to end up in a situation where a one- or two-story building is torn down to build high-rises, especially in the inner core; instead, we want development to be relocated to Novo Trebinje," said Ćurić.

He stated that the goal is for Trebinje to reach a population of around 50,000 in the future, while preserving the recognizable identity of the city.

When it comes to housing construction and prices, he recalled that Trebinje is the first local community in the region to build a building for young married couples under favorable conditions, where the price per square meter was 1,250 KM including VAT.

"We are now working on a model where in Novo Trebinje, in cooperation with investors, the price per square meter will be around 1,000 euros," said Ćurić.

He pointed out that Trebinje was the first in Republika Srpska to adopt an assembly decision and a rulebook for granting free building permits to fellow citizens, for young people up to 35 years old, families with four or more children, and single parents.

Ćurić recalled that an earlier decision was made stating that all those who build individual facilities up to 200 square meters in the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth zones have a 50 percent discount.

"All these measures are aimed at providing benefits for our fellow citizens and ensuring the city budget serves them," said Ćurić.

Speaking about the construction conference "Building the Region," which is being organized for the first time in Trebinje, Ćurić stated that the gathering, planned for June 18 and 19, will bring together more than 100 participants from the business sector and institutions from different levels of government.

"We expect an exchange of experiences and joint conclusions that will help retain the population, attract investments, and further economic development," stated Ćurić.