Construction of the first section of the motorway Banja Luka-Doboj, from Prnjavor to Doboj, should begin in May, and shall be funded by a loan from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) in the amount of 150 million euro.

The end user of the loan the borrower is the public enterprise "Motorways of RS".

After yesterday’s announced international tender for the selection of contractors for this section, and 27 April is the deadline for submission of applications for the first phase, RS Prime Minister Aleksandar Dzombic finds that the decision on borrowing for the construction of the motorway to Doboj, is in the interests of RS.

The construction of this motorway has been a topic for the past several years and previous possible partners were "Alpine", "Strabag", CPM, Spanish, Chinese and other companies which have failed because these arrangements were based on direct negotiations between the RS government and representatives of these companies.

The section of the motorway from Prnjavor to Doboj is 36 kilometers long and completion deadline is three years.

Prime Minister Dzombic reiterated that the representatives of RS are negotiating with the European Investment Bank for the borrowing of about 200 million euro to finance another section of the motorway, between Banja Luka and Prnjavor.

The coming weeks brings announcing of public tenders for a concession for the Corridor 5-C on the section that passes through RS and this deal will be conducted by "Motorways of RS" and EBRD, which will provide a loan for this section.

By mid this year, the Mahovljani loop should be completed which will finally connect the future motorway Banja Luka – Doboj and the motorway section Banja Luka – Gradiska.

Dzombic says that the negotiations with the Croatian Government are ongoing on the construction of a bridge over the Sava River in Gradiska, and considers that a compromise can be reached, and that RS should start building the bridge with its own funds.

"If all goes according to plan, and we find partners for concessions for the construction of the Corridor 5-C, RS could in five years have 150 kilometers of motorways," said RS Prime Minister.