ĐOKIĆ: AGREEMENT AND ARBITRATION SUSPENSION IN WASHINGTON EXPECTED

BIJELJINA, JANUARY 15 /SRNA/ – The Minister of Energy and Mining of Republika Srpska, Petar Đokić, has said today that an agreement with the Slovenian side is expected, along with the suspension of the arbitration proceedings concerning the Mine and Thermal Power Plant /RiTE/ Ugljevik in Washington.

"The Christmas and New Year holidays slightly slowed down activities related to signing of the final agreement between RiTE `Ugljevik` and the Slovenian company regarding the regulation of one remaining issue, namely compensation for interest that, under the arbitration ruling, was binding for RiTE," Đokić told the press during today’s visit to Bijeljina. He stated that the Slovenian side has shown understanding for this situation. Đokić expects that by signing the agreement, the conditions will definitively be created for the Slovenian side to notify the Arbitration Tribunal in Washington that the issue has been resolved by agreement, thereby permanently suspending this arbitration. "So far, we have created all the prerequisites to move in that direction, and I expect that by concluding this final agreement, that issue, this burden, will be removed from RiTE Ugljevik and Republika Srpska," Đokić emphasized. He has added that in this case BiH is the defendant. "However, we are fully aware that this is an issue located in Republika Srpska and that our institutions must work on resolving it," Đokić said.