After the Minister of Transport and Communications, Edin Forto, recently called for his resignation due to delays in repairing the Jablanica to Ploce railway, Enis Dzafic, acting director of the Railways of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FBiH), addressed the media.

“In our work, we must adhere to the law. The Railways of FBiH are obligated to comply with the binding acts of the FBiH Government, which declared a state of emergency, meaning that further measures must be coordinated with the Government, the relevant ministry, and FUCZ,” said Dzafic.

He noted that the railway suffered damage over a 17-kilometer stretch between Ostrozac and Grabovica, including significant damage to construction and electrical installations.

“The Railways have taken all necessary steps to restore train services. I want to thank all the workers who restored 16 km of the track in just 10 days. This demonstrates good organization and coordination,” he added.

Dzafic explained that two locations remain problematic—Komadinovo Vrelo and an area between Komadinovo Vrelo and Donja Jablanica, where part of the railway was washed away.

He emphasized that an integrated solution involving both railway and road infrastructure is necessary and noted that funding sources are being considered, including possible government allocations or donations.

“On October 16, we decided to involve FBiH Motorways to proceed with integrated solutions. Their task is to approach an international financial institution for funding. As far as I know, EBRD has given its consent,” Dzafic stated.

Regarding the economic impact, he mentioned that alternate routes have been organized to support businesses, though transportation costs have increased.

When asked about the offer from businesses to finance part of the railway restoration themselves, Dzafic described it as a “half-truth.” The offer was conditional upon reducing transport costs in 2025, which was not legally feasible, he explained.

Regarding his resignation, as demanded by Minister Forto, Dzafic said, “If the FBiH Government believes I have broken the law, they can dismiss me.”