Road to a European future: Bosnia and Herzegovina speeds up highway construction

euronews (in English)

The Western Balkan country hopes to build not only a road but also closer ties to the EU in hopes of joining the bloc in the future and stronger relationships with companies in the region.

Transcript

00:00Wow, there's quite a lot going on here.

00:05Everywhere is being built, excavated and tunneled.

00:08Here in Bosnia-Herzegovina, the largest infrastructure project of the Western Balkan states is being built.

00:14The traffic corridor 5C.

00:18The motorway connects the Croatian Adriatic port of Ploče with the Bosnian capital Sarajevo

00:24and industrial cities along the north-south axis.

00:28The infrastructure not only connects Bosnia-Herzegovina with its neighbours in the Balkans,

00:33but also enables a better traffic connection of the entire region to the European depot markets.

00:43I'm standing here at a 336 km long motorway construction site,

00:49which leads across the Balkan mountains.

00:53Engineering-wise, it's a real challenge.

00:56It's getting more and more expensive, because it's been being built for 23 years.

01:00Two questions.

01:01First, does Bosnia-Herzegovina need such a mammoth project?

01:04Second, why is the European Union paying so much for it?

01:12Bosnia-Herzegovina wants to become a member of the European Union.

01:16More and more European companies are already being produced in Bosnia-Herzegovina,

01:20because the wages here are significantly lower than in the European Union.

01:25But without good roads, it takes longer to get the goods to the European customers.

01:30The 5C traffic corridor directs investments into the region

01:33and thus promotes production and trade with Europe.

01:38Bosnia-Herzegovina can't do such a huge project on its own.

01:41The European Union provides subsidies of 870 million euros,

01:46as well as cheap loans from the European Investment Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

01:53More industrial parks will be built along this road.

01:56That means growth, jobs, prosperity.

02:04A 336-kilometer-long motorway is to bring Bosnia-Herzegovina closer to the European Union.

02:10For decades, only half of it has been completed in planning.

02:13But now the construction is accelerating. Tunnels and bridges are being built everywhere.

02:18Bosnia is doing better today than 20 years ago.

02:21The country is reforming itself, also with the help of the European Union.

02:24The traffic infrastructure has improved, as well as the competitiveness.

02:27And up there is a world market leader, which I would like to see.

02:32Mirgnes takes me on his forklift.

02:35High-ceiled warehouses are being produced here for the whole world.

02:38Supermarkets, chains and food companies in Australia, America and Europe

02:43use warehousing technology produced in Bosnia-Herzegovina.

02:46Mirgnes' colleague Armin is already waiting for the next load.

02:50Good day, nice to meet you.

02:52Good day.

02:53Hans.

02:54Armin.

02:55Where are you going usually?

02:56Germany, Holland, Austria, Belgium.

02:59What is the time you are on the road usually?

03:01Seven to ten days.

03:03I would like to get to know other countries,

03:06and I think that our economy would improve

03:11if we joined the European Union.

03:16Armin and logistics manager Menzo are happy about the EU-driven expansion of the transport network.

03:24The region has a long tradition of iron processing,

03:27but many Bosnians work in the high-wage countries of the European Union.

03:32The company has 120 employees

03:34and is constantly looking for welders, machine builders and project managers.

04:02With the railway, the transport would be ten times cheaper.

04:06But Bosnia's railway network is outdated.

04:08If there were enough freight trains, the company would switch.

04:12But since the motorway is being built first, it stays with the lorry.

04:32With 420 horsepower all over Europe, it can start.

04:38In the past, Armin earned 400 euros as a waiter.

04:41Now, as a long-distance driver, he gets 1000 euros a month.

04:44He has already experienced a lot, especially at the EU's external borders.

04:49Once, it was a nightmare.

04:51We were crossing the border for 24 hours.

04:54From Bosnia and Herzegovina, we had to cross the border.

04:58We were crossing the border for 24 hours from Bosnia to the EU.

05:03The motorway will make our work a lot easier.

05:06I am glad that it is being built

05:09and that we will finally have a motorway connected

05:12to at least larger cities in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

05:17Armin's destination is the Netherlands.

05:19A long journey. He spends the night in the cabin.

05:22Armin and his colleagues wonder

05:24why the motorway is not being built faster.

05:32The 5C traffic corridor runs across the West Balkans,

05:35co-financed by the European Union.

05:39Bosnia and Herzegovina wants to connect to the European motorway network.

05:43I filmed at construction sites and talked to people.

05:46They have a lot of questions, also to the European Union.

05:49To you.

05:51I pass the questions on to Ferdinand König,

05:54the spokesman for the EU delegation in Sarajevo.

06:20Certain procedures take longer than they could.

06:23But as this country moves further on the EU path,

06:27these elements will be strengthened.

06:29Not just infrastructure, but also rule of law, fight against corruption.

06:34What can you do to make sure

06:36that our money is not ending up in the wrong pockets?

06:40The fight against corruption is one of the most important things

06:44that Bosnia and Herzegovina needs to do

06:46if it wishes to join the European Union,

06:49including strengthening protections for whistleblowers,

06:53implementing anti-corruption legislation

06:56such as the conflict of interest law, which was adopted last year.

07:00Why should European taxpayers' money be spent

07:03to build infrastructure in Bosnia and Herzegovina,

07:06which is not part of the European Union?

07:08We want to integrate this region into the European single market.

07:13This is also now a priority

07:15as part of what we call the growth plan for the Western Balkans.

07:19The more growth there is here and the rest of the region,

07:23the better that is for all of us across our continent.

07:26So this is a good investment.

07:28When this highway will be done,

07:30the authorities have set a target date of 2030.

07:33There is doubt whether this goal is realistic,

07:37because Bosnia and Herzegovina is still a deeply disputed country.

07:41It's about political will.

07:43But if Bosnia, Croats and Serbs stick together,

07:47bridges can be built into a better future.

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