CAPACITIES OF STUDENT CENTER IN FOČA WILL BE DOUBLED WITH RESOURCES OF THE SAUDI FUND

SARAJEVO, JULY 21 /SRNA/ – The Minister of Finance and Treasury in the Council of Ministers Srđan Amidžić expressed satisfaction that the capacities of the Boriša Starović Student Center in Foča, which accommodates domestic and foreign students, will be doubled with resources from the Saudi Fund.

Amidžić and the Director General of the Saudi Fund for Development Sultan Abdulrahman Al-Marshad today visited the Boriša Starović Student Center in Foča, for whose capacity expansion around BAM 22 million from this Saudi fund's loan will be used. Amidžić extended special congratulations on this occasion to the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, which is already attended by nearly 500 foreign students. "This project is also proof of the dedicated politics of the Serb member of the BiH Presidency Željka Cvijanović who has managed to build not only partnership but also friendly relations with the Saudi Fund. I am pleased to be part of this process together with the Minister for Scientific and Technological Development and Higher Education of Republika Srpska Željko Budimir," Amidžić added. According to him, this is proof of what Republika Srpska can achieve when it is united, as well as its recognition on the international financial market. Budimir said he is especially happy because the funds obtained based on today's two signed agreements with the Saudi Fund for Development will be used to expand the accommodation capacities of the Student Center in Foča by 380 places. "With this, we will double the capacities of the Boriša Starović Student Center," Budimir said, reminding that Foča hosts, along with the Faculty of Medicine, attended by about 2,000 students, the Orthodox Theological Faculty. He noted that the Saudi Fund for Development will also finance the Science and Technology Park of Republika Srpska project, explaining that it is a project concerning not only Banja Luka, as it will branch out into all municipalities in Srpska. "Foča will certainly be a place to have a branch of the Science and Technology Park, and it deserves it as a university town," Budimir emphasized, adding that the local community has recognized the importance of building new capacities for the Student Center, providing the necessary logistics for the implementation of this project. Budimir extended special thanks to the Director of the Saudi Development Fund for his balanced approach when it comes to investments within BiH. Al-Marshad expressed satisfaction that the Saudi Fund for Development, with this loan, is supporting two projects in the fields of education and health in Republika Srpska. He reminded that over the past three decades, the Saudi Fund has financed more than 27 development projects in various sectors throughout BiH and announced that this support will continue in the future. The Boriša Starović Student Center currently has 372 places, and with the construction of the new student dormitory, its accommodation capacities will be doubled in the coming years. The Mayor of Foča Milan Vukadinović said that the municipality has provided the location, all necessary permits, and project documentation required for the construction of a modern student dormitory, which, in addition to additional student accommodation, also means additional jobs. Amidžić and Al-Marshad today in Foča signed two loan agreements with a total value of BAM 53,538,516. Today signed were the Loan Agreement for the Science and Technology Park Construction Project and the Loan Agreement for the Construction and Equipping of an Additional Accommodation Facility for Students at the Public Institution Boriša Starović Student Center in Foča.