EU Transport Commissioner Violeta Bulc said Friday in Sarajevo that traffic connection with the Western Balkans is the EU’s strategic interest, for which it is ready to provide EUR 600 million for projects on Bosnia, but also warned that it depends on the local leaders whether these funds would be used.

Bulc, who is on an official visit to Bosnia and Herzegovina, met separately with Bosnia’s Council of Ministers Chairman Denis Zvizdic and the state Transport Minister Ismir Jusko.

She said that in spite of numerous obstacles, the past two years saw a very successful cooperation between the EU and Bosnia in implementing “almost impossible projects” and that the EU sees Bosnia as a very important traffic hub for connecting the Western Balkans region.

“A total of EUR 600 million have been approved for Bosnia from EU funds and it is up to Bosnia to prove it is able to use those funds,” Bulc confirmed, adding that she believes this will indeed happen.

She added that the most important project for the EU is the construction of Corridor 5C, connecting Budapest and the Port of Ploce in Croatia, the Adriatic-Ionian Corridor.

Minister Jusko said that thanks to its initial engagement, the EU ensured a total of BAM 2.3 billion (around EUR 1.17 billion) for the construction of Corridor 5C.