The Joint Commission for Concessions, which will include experts from both Bosnian entities, should take a position by the end of October regarding the problematic construction of hydropower plant Buk Bijela on the Drina river.
In July, the Constitutional Court, deciding on a petition signed by 24 members of the BiH Parliament’s House of Representatives to resolve a dispute between BiH and the Republic of Srpska (RS) over the HPP project, which will be developed in cooperation with neighboring Serbia, issued a partial decision on admissibility. The Commission was instructed, in its capacity as a joint concessions commission, to resolve any disputes arising in connection with the award of concessions no later than three months from the date of delivery of this decision.
The President of the BiH Commission for Concessions Milomir Amovic confirmed that the decision for the formation of a joint commission has been made and that it remains to agree on the date of the session. He explained that the working body will consist of members of the Commission for Concessions of FBiH and RS. He also confirmed that he has already held certain talks with colleagues from the RS Concessions Commission.
Unofficially, the position of the Republic of Srpska on this issue is quite clear – no one can forbid RS to build a hydropower plant on its territory, and members of the RS Commission will represent such position in talks with the Joint Commission.
The foundation stone for the HPP Buk Bijela project has been laid in May.
