Banja Luka, Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina — At 11:00 a.m. on June 12 (local time), the groundbreaking ceremony was held for the Brčko–Bijeljina Expressway Project in Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina, undertaken by the consortium of China Overseas Engineering Group and China TIESIJU Civil Engineering Group. Milorad Dodik, Chairman of the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats (SNSD), Savo Minić, Prime Minister of Republika Srpska, and Li Fan, Chinese Ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina, attended the ceremony and delivered speeches.
The Brčko–Bijeljina Expressway is a key connectivity project under the Belt and Road Initiative in the Balkans. Implemented under the DB+F (Design-Build plus Financing) model, the 17-kilometer expressway will intersect the Pan-European Corridor Vc upon completion, becoming an important section of the expressway network linking Banja Luka, the capital of Republika Srpska, with Belgrade, the capital of Serbia. The project will play a significant role in enhancing regional connectivity and promoting local economic and social development.
Also attending the groundbreaking ceremony were Gai Guoqiang, Commercial Counsellor of the Chinese Embassy in Bosnia and Herzegovina, senior officials and ministers of the Government of Republika Srpska, representatives of Chinese enterprises operating locally, distinguished guests from various sectors, members of the local mainstream media, as well as project teams from China Overseas Engineering Group and China TIESIJU Civil Engineering Group.
