Ambassador Soreca: Bosnia could lose €374 million of EU funds

The Ambassador countered recent claims by Milorad Dodik, who asserted that the Republika Srpska (RS) entity had not received any funds from the EU in four years. Soreca dismissed these statements, highlighting that his deputy is currently attending a ceremony for the completion of a youth employment project valued at 7.8 million marks (approx. €4 million).

Regarding the Growth Plan, Soreca clarified that the steps for accessing funds are straightforward but require political action. The process involves two standard loan agreements that must be ratified by BiH to trigger the first installment of 133 million marks (approx. €68 million). He emphasized that these funds are not standard commercial loans but largely consist of grants provided by EU taxpayers.

"This is money intended for the citizens of BiH. If these funds are not utilized, they will inevitably be redirected to other countries in the second half of next year," Soreca warned, noting that other regional nations have completed similar processes in much shorter timeframes.

Addressing energy security and diversification, Soreca acknowledged the importance of the Southern Interconnection project in reducing dependence on Russian gas. He revealed that the EU will sign two major contracts in the coming weeks for wind farm projects, worth 90 million marks (approx. €46 million) and 97.8 million marks (approx. €50 million) respectively. He stressed that these are grant funds, not loans, and noted that any associated credit components offered by the EU carry terms significantly more favorable than those available on the global financial market.

Soreca concluded by reiterating that the EU remains committed to a future for BiH based on anti-corruption efforts, judicial independence, and equal treatment for all citizens, standards supported by 73% of the country's population.