Boris Iarochevitch, Charge d’ Affaires of the EU Delegation to BiH, and Nevenka Savić, Director of the BiH Directorate for European Integration and National IPA Coordinator signed on Wednesday in Sarajevo a Financing Agreement between Bosnia and Herzegovina and the European Commission- for National Programme (part I) under the IPA Transition Assistance and Institution Building Component for the year 2010. The National Programme is worth 92.28 million Euros and consists of 16 projects.
“The structure of programme follows the structure of annual EU Progress Report on Bosnia and Herzegovina. IPA programmes are a part of our support to the accession process and the integration of BiH into the EU”, said Iarochevitch and added that about 100 million were given or allocated to BiH in the last year.
“There are two main areas on which we focused under this programme: the rule of law and anti crisis measures. Regarding rule of law which is top priority for the EU in the Western Balkans, I would like to single out the projects designed to support police, police development as well as to provide support to anti crisis measures and anti corruption strategy, but also to judiciary reform in BiH” said Iarochevitch.
The establishment of anti corruption agency was a precondition for visa liberalisation last year. The EU will support the work of this agency and the implementation of the anti corruption strategy and anti corruption action plan in BiH. Regarding the anti crisis support, after 40 million in the previous programme, the EU will add another 50 million Euros to support infrastructure projects in BiH now under the 2010 programme.
“All together this 90 million Euros of anti crisis projects financed by IPA grants will leverage about 500 million of loans and grants by international financial institutions” said Iarochevitch.
Nevenka Savić, Director of the BiH Directorate for European Integration, and National IPA Coordinator for BiH explained details on National Programme: “The allocation of the IPA funds is in line with four priority axes of the Multi-Annual Indicative Planning Document (MIPD): political criteria, economic criteria, the ability to assume the obligations of membership and the EU supporting programmes to BiH”, said Savić.
She also added that a total of 31.9 million Euros is allocated for fulfilling political criteria, comprising 9 projects, 45.6 million for fulfilling economic criteria- anti-crisis measures with two projects; 8.3 million for three projects assuming accession responsibilities, and 6.4 million to support BiH’s participation in community programs. Out of 16 projects the largest one (worth 193,1 million EUR) is related to rehabilitation and construction of water, waste water and solid waste infrastructure,
More information on EU Assistance under the Instrument for Pre-accession Assistance- IPA available at:
