The first works on the Prijedor-Banja Luka highway are set to commence on September 2, whereas the construction of the Bijeljina-Rača section will begin about two weeks later, which will make the Republic of Srpska a major construction site, announced the Acting Director of the “Republic of Srpska Highways” Slobodan Stanarević.

Stanarević said that the deadline for the construction of the Banja Luka-Prijedor section of the highway, 42 kilometers in length, is five years, and that the construction will begin in Prijedor.

“I believe that the Chinese will finish the construction before the deadline, given that it is their goal for the 30-year concession period to start as soon as possible,” said Stanarević to the Glas Srpske.

He announced that the construction of the interchange in Mahovljani on the Banja Luka-Gradiška highway, which will include an exit to the airport, will start in the fall.

According to him, in addition to the aforementioned roads, a series of very significant infrastructure projects are planned for Srpska, including a Vukosavlje-Brčko section of the highway, as well as high-speed roads between Prijedor and Kozarska Dubica and between Bijeljina and Trebinje.

“The high-speed roads are not planned for this year or the next, but they will certainly be realized. In addition, a Chinese company is interested in building the Banja Luka-Mrkonjić Grad highway. There are big plans, and the benefits of the communications network that we are building are going to be massive,” pointed out Stanarević.

Stanarević believes that the construction of highways between Novi Grad and Banja Luka, and then Doboj, Vukosavlje, Brčko, Bijeljina, Rača, all the way to Belgrade, will contribute to the development of the entire northern part of Srpska, as well as all of the local communities that gravitate towards that area.