SARAJEVO USING NEW BRIDGE NEAR GRADIŠKA AGAINST SRPSKA, AS WELL AS AGAINST THE FBiH

BELGRADE, MAY 20 /SRNA/ – Chair of the Serbia–Republika Srpska Parliamentary Forum Dušan Marić says the temporary opening of the border crossing between BiH and Croatia on the new bridge near Gradiška does not change the fact that the new bridge is being used by Sarajevo as a tool against the Serb people and Republika Srpska, but also against the FBiH.

"Bridges are meant to connect riverbanks and peoples. Part of the authorities in Sarajevo are using the new bridge over the Sava as a club, as a means for settling scores with the Serb people and Republika Srpska. But they are also settling scores with the FBiH, with Muslims and Croats," Marić told SRNA. He pointed out that tens of thousands of BiH Muslim citizens who live and work in Croatia, Slovenia, and Western Europe would use the new bridge, and that they had been forced to wait for hours, the truck drivers for days, at the Gradiška border crossing. Marić says that people somehow manage to get a day or two off to visit their homeland, but then spend half that time waiting to cross the Sava River because of several people in Sarajevo. He added that this causes enormous damage not only to the economy of Republika Srpska, but also to the economies of the Federation of BiH, Croatia, and neighbouring countries. Marić also said that representatives of Western embassies in Sarajevo, whom manage processes in BiH, have not lifted a finger to solve the problem, which shows that they do not care about BiH and its citizens. The new bridge, which was opened yesterday, will be used during the suspension of traffic at the existing Gradiška border crossing, caused by the collapse of part of a protective fence and pedestrian walkway on the old bridge over the Sava River. The newly built border crossing and bridge, connecting BiH with the EU /Croatia/ on the country’s busiest route, worth EUR 100 million, had been ready for use since December last year. However, Zijad Krnjić the member of the Management Board of the Indirect Taxation Authority /ITA/ from the FBiH, repeatedly prevented its opening, allegedly for political reasons.