Bosnia and Herzegovina moves to avert airspace crisis

NEWS FLASH

Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Minister of Communications and Traffic, Edin Forto, has addressed the ongoing funding crisis facing the country’s Air Navigation Services Agency (BHANSA), which stems from an arbitration ruling in favour of Slovenian company Viadukt, which had sued Bosnia and Herzegovina over the unilateral termination of a concession agreement related to a hydropower project. "Bosnia and Herzegovina could lose overflight rights and associated revenue. Worse still, we risk losing control over our own airspace - control that, if handed over to other countries, could take years to reclaim, if ever", Mr Forto said. He noted that a proposal for the temporary funding of BHANSA has been drafted and is scheduled for discussion at next Tuesday’s Council of Ministers session. Mr Forto expressed hope that “common sense would prevail” and the measure would be approved. "If the proposal is adopted and there are sufficient funds in the state budget, which there should be, we will have at least put out this fire while we work on a long-term solution”, he added.