The difficult financial situation in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina entity, caused by the coronavirus pandemic, could significantly affect the dynamics of the construction of the future airport in the settlement of Golubic, near Bihac.
The Public Company Airport Bihac, which is the holder of this project, points out that instead of the planned 2.5 million, only 300,000 BAM were paid from the federal budget, and the payment of the remaining funds is extremely uncertain eKapija business portal reports.
They point out that this will most certainly affect the works that are planned to be done during this year and after several months of stagnation due to the corona virus pandemic, at the beginning of June, construction works continued on the site of the future airport with the construction of an access road that will connect the entire site with Bihac.
Also, in the meantime, the bearing capacity of the runway was tested, and work on its construction continued, and with the money from the federal budget, it is planned to continue with the expropriation of land in order to finally complete the entire plot of the future airport.
Due to uncertain financial resources, all these works are now in question. The City Administration of Bihac believes that the realization of this project cannot be announced by local or cantonal authorities, and that one of the solutions is to include the airport in investments of federal importance and that its realization be taken over by the competent federal institutions.
The mayor of Bihac, Suhret Fazlic, is of the opinion that the future airport is a real story, but that the federal authorities should be more actively involved in the whole project.
The Minister of Economy in the Government of Una Sana Canton, Nijaz Kadiric, believes that the recent adoption of the Law on Public-Private Partnership at the level of Una-Sana Canton has created conditions for investments, and adds that there are potential investors interested in the airport project.
In his opinion, the airport would open this canton by communication, which is now connected to the rest of the world by bad and poor quality roads. According to rough estimates, if the current pace and investments were to continue, it would take another 30 years for the airport to be completed.
