With the resumption of works on the Vranduk - Ponirak section, "Highways of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina" has activated its tenth construction site on the road infrastructure in this entity, most of which are on Corridor 5C. According to the director Denis Lasić, this section is only 5.3 kilometers long but is extremely challenging in terms of construction.
Expenditure
- This was a case that we, as a new administration, suspended because we found that the entire planned amount was spent on one-third of the project. Together with the financier, we drew a line and agreed, after some funds were overpaid to the contractor, on a certain refund. Tens of millions of euros were saved in this process, so the works continue after the contract amendment was signed - Lasić explains for Avaz.
On the northern part of Corridor 5C, in the next twenty days, a contract for the construction of the last section Ozimice - Poprikuše will be signed, featuring nine bridges, thus activating the entire route Zenica - north. On the southern part of the corridor, before the summer season, the Počitelj Bridge, the Buna - Počitelj section, will be in operation. In May, the construction of the Mostar South - Kvanj Tunnel section is expected to begin, with the tunnel breakthrough towards Buna starting in early summer, the construction of the Mostar North - Mostar South section is expected to start at the end of summer, and the Prenj Tunnel is expected to be completed by October.
- At this moment, we have around 1.2 billion euros for active projects, and we will sign around another billion. All of these are new funds being absorbed into the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina - Lasić emphasizes.
By summer 2026, the 5C highway from Tarčin to Sava should be operational, and the completion of the entire corridor depends on the most demanding structure - the Prenj Tunnel. Its construction will begin this year and will last six years, during which all other tasks will be largely completed. The financial structure of the entire Corridor 5C is complete, so the plan of the "Highways of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina," in addition to the construction of the Hranjen Tunnel and the expressway towards Goražde, is to connect Tuzla and Bihać to the capital as well. The projects are a prerequisite for preparations for the continuation of preparations, expropriation, and the start of works, and they are all in the final stages.
Drawing a line
For projects that, as Lasić says, went "awry," such as the Vranduk - Ponirak section or the Hranjen Tunnel, where money was spent faster than work was done, the administration drew a line and made conditions to proceed further, while determining any responsibility is the job of other institutions. Public suspicion was also raised by damage to the Počitelj Bridge before it was put into use.
AI-translated
