The 8th Jahorina Economic Forum has opened. Regional connectivity and faster exchange of goods and services in order to achieve greater economic efficiency and development are among the key goals again this year.

The forum held under the title Western Balkans Agenda – Growth Plan, brought together 600 participants from 20 countries. The President of the Republic of Srpska Milorad Dodik said that the Jahorina Economic Forum was achieving its goals. Serbian Prime Minister Đuro Macut also attended the forum, visiting the Republic of Srpska for the first time.

The absolute domestic product growth amounts to two billion marks, and last year’s investments amounted to 2.8 billion marks, said Srpska’s President Milorad Dodik during the opening of the Jahorina Economic Forum. He noted that Srpska had maintained a very low debt that amounted to only 34 percent last year, and that, according to him, it was even lower today.

– The Republic of Srpska has remained stable. The Republic of Srpska has not changed any of the laws that stimulated business investments. We think that not enough attention has been paid to everything that we offer the business community, especially to people from abroad to open a business here and create not only new jobs for our workers, but also new jobs for their profits – said Dodik.

A stable political situation is a requirement for any successful economic development. Due to politics, the use of funds within the Western Balkans Growth Plan is also on hold. Out of six billion euros, 1.1 billion is planned for BiH. That is precisely the topic of this year’s forum.

Development is also reflected in regional connectivity. Enabling trade, open communication and transport and the exchange of goods and services increase economic efficiency and stability, which is why we should strive for this, reads the message from the central panel, which was attended by the President of the Republic of Srpska and the Prime Minister of Serbia. In this context, the regional initiative Open Balkans was also mentioned.

– Unless we create a compatible system of communication, openness, equal, recognizable conditions for businessmen, it will be very difficult to integrate the Balkans. Serbia is undoubtedly the leader. Many are afraid of Serbia’s strength in this regard, but this is part of the outdated ideological delusions in which some around us seek for a good Serbia exclusively when it is not successful – said Dodik.

– Infrastructure projects are definitely our future and connectivity. I know very well that the Republic of Srpska has already made significant strides in this regard in some transport infrastructure, but also in this other one, primarily in the field of industry, construction, and that perhaps this is where the greatest potential lies – said the Prime Minister of the Republic of Serbia, Đuro Macut.

In order to achieve even better cooperation and connectivity, Prime Minister Macut announced that he would propose holding a joint session of the governments of Serbia and the Republic of Srpska. According to him, the implementation of the conclusions from last year’s All-Serbian Assembly will be jointly monitored.

– There is a strong need to work in a coordinated manner on the implementation of not only infrastructure projects, such as the highway, bridges, border crossings, the Buk-Bijela hydro power plant project, the airport in Trebinje is also a very important thing, but so is to improve cooperation in all other fields by following some successful examples that we can jointly develop – said Macut.

Great benefits for businessmen from Srpska can also be expected from the Expo 2027 event in Belgrade. More than 120 countries have been announced to participate, and participants will have the opportunity to get to know the entire region.

– The whole world is coming and looking for business opportunities in this part of the world. So the opportunities are huge, EXPO is actually one big platform that offers the opportunity for absolutely everyone to achieve their goals – said Dušan Borovčanin, director of the EXPO 2027 company.

The Jahorina Economic Forum was also an opportunity for the President of the Republic of Srpska to meet with the Prime Minister of Serbia. Dodik and Macut discussed the current political and economic situation in the Republic of Srpska, BiH and Serbia. As stated, cooperation and unity are a permanent bond and basis for preserving the identity of the Serbian people, wherever they may be.

Source: RTRS

Photo: Tanjug