The Minister of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure of Serbia, Goran Vesić, with his colleagues, paid an official visit to the Ministry of Spatial Planning, Construction and Ecology of the Republic of Srpska yesterday.
Ministers Bojan Vipotnik and Goran Vesić outlined the future collaboration between the two ministries, which will be formalized through the signing of a memorandum of cooperation. This memorandum will cover areas such as data exchange, urban planning, and the protection of the middle and lower Drina—an initiative that has the potential to attract significant donor and international funding.
Minister Vipotnik emphasized the priority of establishing a separate memorandum to address the mutual recognition of licenses for both individuals and businesses across departmental competencies. He stated:
"It is essential to find ways to ensure equal treatment for all companies, as well as for citizens and legal entities from Serbia and Republic of Srpska, so that they have the same rights."
Minister Vipotnik stated that the working group tasked with preparing the memorandum on mutual recognition of licenses will engage in extensive consultations with chambers of commerce, professional associations, and other interested parties. The goal is to develop high-quality solutions that address the needs and expectations of all stakeholders.
Minister Vesić expressed his readiness for the Ministry of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure of Serbia to provide comprehensive support to the Ministry of Spatial Planning, Construction, and Ecology of the Republic of Srpska. This support includes assistance with implementing electronic building permits, advancing the e-space project, promoting green construction, and other initiatives aimed at eventually harmonizing the legislation.
The meeting also addressed the construction of the airport in Trebinje. Minister Vesić mentioned that Serbia has allocated funds for the expropriation process, which is set to begin soon and is a prerequisite for issuing the building permit.
Minister Vipotnik noted, “If all procedures are completed within the stipulated deadlines, we could have all the necessary permits by the start of the next construction season, allowing us to begin building this joint infrastructure project.”