CVIJANOVIĆ: COUNCIL OF MINISTERS SHOULD IMMEDIATELY INITIATE A PROCEDURE TO PUT NEW BORDER CROSSING IN GRADIŠKA INTO OPERATION

ISTOČNO SARAJEVO, MAY 19 /SRNA/ - Serb member of the Presidency of BiH Željka Cvijanović has requested that the Council of Ministers immediately initiate all procedures to put the new border crossing Gradiška /new bridge/ – Gornja Varoš into operation, stating that it is high time to end senseless political obstruction and to make the crossing available to citizens and businesses as soon as possible.

In a letter addressed to the Chairwoman of the Council of Ministers, Borjana Krišto, and all ministers, which SRNA had access to, Cvijanović noted that they are aware of the collapse of part of the bridge over the Sava River in Gradiška, which led to the closure of the existing Gradiška border crossing. "This situation has led to the suspension of traffic over the mentioned bridge, which has caused abnormal congestion in freight and passenger transport, and is continuously producing negative and harmful consequences for the economy," Cvijanović stated. A partial collapse of the concrete structure and railing occurred overnight on the bridge over the Sava River in Gradiška, resulting in a complete suspension of cross-border traffic for all vehicles and pedestrians. The newly built border crossing and bridge, connecting BiH with the EU /Croatia/ on the country’s most important transport route, worth 100 million Euros, have been ready for use since December last year, but a member of the ITA Management Board from the FBiH, Zijad Krnjić, has repeatedly prevented their opening for exclusively political reasons. Krnjić’s blockade has caused significant economic losses for Republika Srpska and BiH, as passenger and freight traffic has been forced to use the already overburdened old border crossing. Krnjić has refused consent five times for amendments necessary to open the new border crossing in Gradiška.