Water

Banja Luka in talks with EBRD on loan of up to EUR 10 million for water supply projects

Photo: City of Banja Luka

Published

August 6, 2018

Comments

comments icon

0

Share

Published:

August 6, 2018

Comments:

comments icon

0

Share

Banja Luka Mayor Igor Radojičić and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development’s (EBRD) representative Josip Polić signed a letter of intent on August 1 concerning a loan of up to EUR 10 million for construction works on the primary and secondary water supply network, the city said in a news release.

Negotiations with the EBRD will continue on funds to tackle the water supply issues in Banja Luka, said Radojičić. According to him, around EUR 10 million is needed to resolve critical water supply issues in the city, while at least some EUR 25 million is needed to bring the water supply infrastructure to a satisfactory level.

Banja Luka and the EBRD are in talks on a loan of up to EUR 10 million, which would be extended under very favorable terms, Radojičić said, adding that he hopes the negotiations will proceed successfully and that the loan agreement will be signed in 2019.

The EBRD’s representative, Josip Polić, noted that the international finance institution has pledged to secure donor funds for the project’s technical implementation, which are estimated at about EUR 600,000.

Banja Luka already has or plans tendering procedures for construction works on certain parts of its water supply network.

Work under way on street lighting modernization study

At the same time, the EBRD’s representatives presented the work done so far to produce a street lighting modernization study that would involve smart city solutions, according to the news release.

“A preliminary analysis has been carried out and we are now in the phase of assessing the quantities and areas of the city where street lighting would be replaced. Based on this, the city’s potential investment would be calculated, with plans to apply smart technology solutions such as those for measuring air pollution, noise, and allergens,” Radojičić said following the presentation.

Banja Luka’s development strategy for 2018-2027 being drafted

At the session held on August 6, the city’s development team reviewed sectoral policies to be included in the Banja Luka development strategy for 2018-2027, which is being drafted. The draft should be prepared by September, so that the city assembly can discuss it at the October session, said Radojičić.

“After the development goals, vision, and mission were determined, four strategic goals were defined. They include the development of a green city, involving ecological matters, environmental protection, and infrastructural development. The smart city concept is envisaged, including the modernization of various types of services, as well as the improvement of the business environment. Finally, the fourth strategic goal is the development of social services such as those referring to the health care and education sectors, sports, and culture,” Radojičić said.

Comments (0)

Be the first one to comment on this article.

Enter Your Comment
Please wait... Please fill in the required fields. There seems to be an error, please refresh the page and try again. Your comment has been sent.

Related Articles

Three cities reviving protests against Rio Tinto lithium project Jadar in Serbia

Three cities reviving protests against Rio Tinto’s lithium project in Serbia

20 July 2025 - Opponents of Rio Tinto's plan to mine and process a lithium and boron ore called jadarite in western Serbia held a protest in Loznica

bih epbih waste incineration tpp tuzla trial

BiH’s power utility EPBiH cancels waste co-incineration trial in Tuzla coal plant

18 July 2025 - Power utility Elektroprivreda Bosne i Hercegovine aborted a waste co-incineration test at its Tuzla coal power plant

Belgrade in focus challenges and solutions for sustainable urban development Ivan Gazdic cms

Belgrade in focus: challenges and solutions for sustainable urban development

17 July 2025 - The author of the feature is Ivan Gazdić, Attorney at Law and Partner at Petrikić & Partneri AOD in cooperation with CMS Reich-Rohrwig Hainz

Successful completion of the WISE serbia mentorship program trust, support, and personal transformation

WISE Serbia mentorship program successfully completed: trust, support, and personal growth

24 June 2025 - The first mentorship program of the WISE Serbia women’s network in sustainable energy, the green economy, and climate action was successfully concluded with an event held in Belgrade