President of the Republic of Srpska Milorad Dodik, Prime Minister Radovan Višković and local officials of Trebinje met today in Trebinje with high Serbian Government delegation led by Prime Minister Miloš Vučević to discuss projects financed from the budgets of Republic of Srpska and Serbia.

After the meeting, President of the Republic of Srpska Milorad Dodik stated at a press conference that after analying the projects and previous activities, it was agreed to enter a new phase of cooperation planning.

"We discussed important projects for Trebinje, such as construction of the airport and hospital in Trebinje, Buk Bijela hydroelectric power plant system and also  construction of the highway sections from Kuzmin to Rača. We have never had better cooperation with Serbia" Dodik said and added that Republic of Srpska shall not give up on projects planned together with Serbia.

"Since 2018, 98 million BAM have been invested in Trebinje. Serbia also made big contribution to the development of this city, with the help of which numerous infrastructure projects have been implemented. The hospital in Trebinje is in its final phase. We plan to open it in September next year. This will be the joint success of Republic of Srpska, Serbia and Trebinje", Dodik said.

Speaking about Trebinje Airport construction project, Dodik said that an opinion from Croatia was awaited and that all deadlines for expressing opinion expire in June.He stated it was one of the largest projects of this kind in this part of the Balkans and highlighted the abuses of the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which could not issue any ban.

Dodik further said that the highway section from Kuzmin to Rača was an important project as well as the construction of a highway from Rača to Bijeljina and that there was a plan to start the section from Bijeljina to Brcko in February with a Chinese partner.

Prime Minister Višković emphasized that the hospital in Trebinje would be the most important medical facility in Herzegovina and regionally, though there were people who are trying to challenge this project. 

"My message to them is that they will not succeed in this intention and that they should not even try. We expect that the hospital in Trebinje will be put into use in September", Višković said.

Speaking about the Trebinje Airport project, Višković emphasized that two million BAM have been invested in land expropriation so far.

When it comes to road infrastructure, the Prime Minister of Republika Srpska announced that the development of project and technical documentation for the motorway  from Trebinje to Gacko and then towards Višegrad will be concluded with an old investor in the coming days.

Prime Minister of the Republic of Serbia Miloš Vučević emphasized that continuation of infrastructure and other projects is crucial, not only for the city of Trebinje, but for the entire Republic of Srpska.

"Unlike some others, we deal with construction, connectivity and problem solving. We do not look for reasons why we cannot build, but how we can and in what way. If others from those areas shared this attitude, all the peoples of the Balkans would be much happier", Vučević said and added he could not understand how anyone could obstruct the construction of an airport, hydroelectric power plant, bridges or roads, and that the way must be found to build and at the same time respect international environmental standards.

He Vučević further announced that rehabilitation of the old town of Trebinje, paving of the central square and central streets would be completed by the end of February or the beginning of March since the number of tourists visiting Trebinje is increasing.

Vučević emphasized that construction of Donja Gradina memorial complex was a priority and that he expected the city of Belgrade to help this ptroject, too. 

Prime Minister of Serbia Miloš Vuičević said that all these projects were contained in the Declaration adopted at the All-Serbian Assembly and that the essence of the Declaration was creating better life for citizens on both sides of the Drina River. 

He stated that he proposed that the Office of the President and the Government of Republika Srpska create an integral proposal for a three-year investment period for municipalities in Republic of Srpska so that the Government of Serbia can deliver everything it needs to do in one place, and also not forgetting Serbs on the territory of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The delegations of the two governments included: Minister of Labor and Veterans and the Disabled People's Protection of Republic of Srpska Danijel Egić, Minister of Education and Culture of Republic of Srpska Željka Stojičić, Minister of Labor, Employment, Veterans and Social Affairs of Serbia Nemanja Starović and Minister of Culture of Serbia Nikola Selaković.