World Bank visits ITA, eyes border infrastructure investment in Bosnia

The centrepiece of the discussion was the Safe and Sustainable Transport Program (SSTP), a blended finance initiative that merges grants from the Western Balkans Investment Framework (WBIF) with World Bank investment loans. The program aims to boost safer, greener transport infrastructure, with funding potentially extending to improvements at border crossings.

During the meeting, ITA Director Zoran Tegeltija expressed strong interest in participating in future investment projects, either as a lead institution or a project partner. However, he noted that progress hinges on resolving the issue of loan arrangements, since BiH credit borrowing is handled at the entity level, and grant disbursement depends on finalised financing agreements.

The World Bank team confirmed that upcoming meetings in Banja Luka and Sarajevo will focus on finding a financing model that accommodates ITA’s infrastructure goals. Top priorities include upgrading border facilities, accelerating the rollout of the New Computerised Transit System (NCTS), and possibly launching a “single window” system — a streamlined platform uniting all customs-related agencies under one digital roof.