The Acting Director of the Public Enterprise "Autoputevi Republike Srpske" d.o.o. Banja Luka, Radovan Višković, was a guest on the show "Zajednički talas" (The Shared Wave), broadcast on Radio Republike Srpske. During the appearance, he spoke about current road infrastructure projects, their impact on the overall economic and business landscape of Srpska, and their significance for future development trajectories.

Director Višković stated that a good and modern road infrastructure is the vital lifeblood of a country’s economy and industry, and that investing in the construction of a network of modern thoroughfares is an investment in the future of a region. The local communities through which highway sections have already been built in Srpska serve as the best evidence that highways bring a multitude of benefits—primarily economic progress, a better standard of living for citizens, new jobs, and foreign investments.

"As examples, I will cite Gradiška, Laktaši, Prnjavor, Doboj, and soon Bijeljina and Prijedor, where a true economic 'boom' has occurred. Today, PE 'Autoputevi Republike Srpske' manages and operates 111 kilometers of highways, and we have just as many currently under construction, which is a massive undertaking even for much larger countries," Director Višković recalled. He emphasized that the primary focus remains on implementing the strategic national project—the construction of the highway from Belgrade to Banja Luka through the territory of Republika Srpska.

According to him, the importance of this highway for everyone in Srpska is particularly evident these days, as we witness scenes of massive traffic congestion at border crossings with the European Union, where citizens face hours of waiting and additional checks when crossing the border.

Director Višković also spoke about the progress of works on the Rača – Bijeljina section, as well as on the pan-European Corridor Vc, specifically the Kostajnica – Putnikovo Brdo section and the border with the Federation of BiH (FBiH). He recalled that PE "Autoputevi Republike Srpske" is still waiting for the building permit to begin construction on the Putnikovo Brdo 2 tunnel. This permit must be obtained by PE "Autoceste FBiH," given that a portion of the aforementioned tunnel encroaches upon the territory of the other entity.

"The problem lies in the fact that there is currently no mechanism in FBiH that would allow the conversion of agricultural and forest land into construction land, due to the decision of the former High Representative and the truncated Constitutional Court of BiH. I have requested the Government of the Federation of BiH and the Council of Ministers of BiH to get involved in resolving this issue, because without the building permit we cannot begin constructing the tunnel, and every day of delay extends the deadlines for completing the section, which inherently increases contract implementation costs," Višković warned.

Director Višković also spoke about the complications surrounding the opening to traffic of the bridge over the Sava River near Gradiška, which was completed nearly four years ago but is still not operational due to political obstruction from Sarajevo.

"First, they obstructed the start of construction on that bridge for more than 10 years, and now, when everything is ready for the opening—as the access road and the new border crossing have been completed on the Croatian side, and the customs terminal and border crossing on the BiH side have long been built—everything is at a standstill, waiting for the decision to open," Višković emphasized. He noted that he expects a resolution to this matter, especially following the news that the Prosecutor's Office of BiH has formed a case based on a criminal complaint filed by the Chamber of Commerce against a member of the Governing Board of the Indirect Taxation Authority (ITA) of BiH, who persistently refuses to give consent to amend the book of rules on internal organization, which would create the conditions for opening the new border crossing.

Višković also spoke about the announced departure of Christian Schmidt, who stayed in BiH without confirmation from the UN Security Council, stating that his actions caused immense damage to political relations within BiH. Director Višković particularly reflected on the past year, 2025, which was marked by the open persecution of the legally elected representatives of Republika Srpska, but noted that through a smart approach and contacts within the new US administration, the situation has been brought under control.

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