VIŠKOVIĆ: CONTRACTS WORTH MORE THAN BAM 2.5 BILLION IN PLACE FOR 114.5 KM OF NEW MOTORWAYS

BANJA LUKA, OCTOBER 2 /SRNA/ - Acting Director of the public company Autoputevi Republike Srpske Radovan Višković said that construction of 114.5 kilometers of new motorways had currently been contracted, with financing and contractors secured, representing an investment cycle worth more than BAM 2.5 billion excluding VAT.

Višković said Autoputevi Republike Srpske currently manages 111 kilometers of motorway and that, with the implementation of projects already contracted, Republika Srpska should have almost twice as many kilometers of motorway within the next three to five years.

"That is 114.5 kilometers of new motorway in addition to the existing 111. We already have contracts in place, contractors selected and financing secured," Višković said on a podcast produced by the Media System of Republika Srpska - SRNA.

He reminded that one of the strategic goals was to connect Banja Luka and Belgrade by motorway through Republika Srpska, noting that the section from Gradiška to Doboj had already been built, as had the new bridge over the Sava River near Gradiška.

Višković also said he expected Chinese company Shandong to complete the approximately 40-kilometre Banja Luka-Prijedor motorway within the next two years.

He recalled that the concession for the Banja Luka-Prijedor motorway was signed back in 2018, but that numerous issues had to be resolved before conditions were created for the project to fully get under way, adding that around 45 annexes had been signed to the concession agreement.

"It was only in September last year that the conditions were created for China Exim Bank, China's export and state-owned bank, to approve financing for Shandong," Višković said.

Višković said a public procurement procedure was also under way for the expansion of toll plazas at Jakupovci and Gradiška in order to increase their capacity during periods of heavier traffic.

He said the number of motorway users was increasing every year, which was also boosting toll revenue while creating a need for further infrastructure improvements.

The new episode of SRNA's podcast, featuring acting Director of the public company Autoputevi Republike Srpske Radovan Višković, will be available tomorrow at 10.00 a.m. to subscribers to our service, as well as on social media and YouTube. /