Bevanda – Fischer Meeting: European Path Has No Alternative

Chairman of the Council of Ministers of BIH Vjekoslav Bevanda received in Sarajevo today Vice President of the EBRD Ian Fischer, with whom he talked on modalities of future cooperation of Bosnia and Herzegovina with the EBRD. 

Chairman Bevanda informed the EBRD Vice President of priorities of the Council of Ministers of BIH in the period to come. He stressed that stepping-up of movement along the European road of Bosnia and Herzegovina has no alternative, and that the adoption of the 2012 BIH Budget is a starting point of this process.

“The Budget adoption is a test of determination for European road of Bosnia and Herzegovina, so I expect to finalise that task at tomorrow’s Council of Ministers session”, Chairman Bevnada underlined.

Vice President Fischer said that the EBRD highly appreciates the commitment of Chairman Bevanda and the Council of Ministers of BIH to getting Bosnia and Herzegovina closer to the EU, as it reflects positively to Bosnia and Herzegovina, as to the entire region. He said that the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development is satisfied with the cooperation to date with Bosnia and Herzegovina and highlighted the commitment of the EBRD to continue its support to development projects in BIH.

Vice President Fischer said that, aside of continued support to infrastructural projects, the EBRD is also interested for fostering financial infrastructure in Bosnia and Herzegovina and providing technical assistance to BIH institutions, including opening of credit lines for private sector development through support to SMEs development.

Chairman Bevanda said that the support to private sector development is a foundation of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s economy, but that Bosnia and Herzegovina needs to take additional efforts to improve effectiveness of project management and facilitate business making to economic entities in Bosnia and Herzegovina. He thanked to the EBRD for its previous role in the reconstruction and development efforts of Bosnia and Herzegovina, especially for its support to reconstruction and development of infrastructure projects and energy sector projects.

(end)