Croatia’s Minister of Maritime Affairs, Transport and Infrastructure and Bosnia’s Transport and Communications Minister signed on Tuesday an agreement on the maintenance and reconstruction of road bridges at the state border between Bosnia and Croatia.

“We are aware that without the development of infrastructure, there is no development of the region and that for Bosnia and Herzegovina and all people living in this area, any kind of connection with the countries of the region is good,” Bosnia’s minister Vojin Mitrovic said.

The minister explained that, by building bridges with neighbouring countries, the motorway network in Bosnia and Herzegovina will be connected to the European transport network, “which will enable our citizens to travel shorter, faster, more comfortable and more easily to European countries.”

Croatia’s Oleg Butkovic emphasized that the Agreement marks another step towards stronger traffic and economic connections between Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina and that maintenance of the border bridges is equally important for both countries “because only through cooperation can we improve common ties, both in traffic and economy.”

“Certain bridges, which are, among other things, the subject of the Agreement signed today, are in a really bad condition and we must react quickly in order to bring them to a safe condition from the traffic aspect. Bridges, in addition to connecting the two countries, ultimately also connect residents and that is the goal of any such interstate cooperation,” he said.