Chairman Tegeltija at Open Balkans Summit in Belgrade

Chairman of the Council of Ministers of BIH Zoran Tegeltija stressed, in his address to the “Open Balkans” Summit in Belgrade, a need for BIH to become a member of the Initiative, since business community and citizens might only expect to benefit from it. 

“The majority of citizens in BIH and business community alike, are clearly oriented to the process”, Chairman Tegeltija said, adding that BIH economy is a partner to economies of the region, regardless its non-member status with the “Open Balkans”.

The Chairman of the Council of Ministers thanked to all “keeping the Open Balkans doors open” for BIH and for Monte Negro, specifically not imposing any political conditions for entering the Open Balkans.

He underlined that the business community needs a single economic space, same as in the EU countries, contrary to economic blockages rising costs of both goods and services. The examples are evident in shortened waiting time for goods at border crossings and improvement of trade with food among the Open Balkans members, i.e. Serbia, Albania, and Northern Macedonia.

Chairman Tegeltija said the business community, as the better part of BIH, ensured GDP growth for 7.2% last year and more than five per cent in the first two quarters this year, in addition to an increase of foreign exchange for more than 40% in the first half of the year, and industrial production for more than 10 per cent.

He underlined that the business community in BIH enabled  an increase of employment for 2.8 per cent over the last two months, it paid into budget 18.8% more funds that last year, and enabled smooth supply of oil products under competitive prices in the region.

“It is the business community that ensured sufficient quantities of electric power for BIH market. If hydrological situation continues to be as usual, BIH would probably be able to offer electric power to market”, Chairman Tegeltija said.

The Summit is chaired by President of Serbia Aleksandar Vučić and Prime Ministers of Albania and North Macedonia, Edi Rama and Dimitar Kovačevski, respectively.

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