Businesses and the young people of Mostar have much to gain if political blockages in the city are overcome, Head of Delegation/EU Special Representative Ambassador Peter Sorensen said during a visit to the city today.
Ambassador Sorensen’s whole day visit focused on a number of EU projects under implementation or about to start that are aimed at helping the economic development of the city. At a presentation of studies for the future of Mostar Airport, funded by the EU, Ambassador Sorensen said:
“The potential of Mostar Airport is clear. Today it has passenger traffic of 70,000; with the right decisions it could climb to around 1.5 million over 30 years. That would have a huge impact in business in Mostar and in the region, leading to more jobs. I hope that the city will seize this opportunity.”
Ambassador Sorensen met with young sportspeople from the Sports Association of the City of Mostar at their offices, where a number of children took the floor to appeal for a new sports hall for the city. Currently they are training in inadequate conditions. Ambassador Sorensen said:
“These are talented sportspeople who already have an impressive haul of medals. Their need is bigger than politics. The EU has 2.5 million euro standing by to help with the technical documentation and paying loan interest. However we need stable political backing to make it happen and that means the parties in the city have to find a consensus.”
During the day the Ambassador visited the site of the Partisan Memorial, which could be rehabilitated to provide a shared open space in the city, and met students from the Music Schools of the city who are also struggling with unsuitable accommodation.
The Ambassador Sorensen concluded:
“We donors are ready with the funding. Now we have to see a realisation in the city that a lack of consensus and agreement is holding young people hostage. I believe this should end and we should all move forward with projects such as these that address the real issues.”
