Milica Marković, Director of the FIPA Agency, had a meeting with HE Ambassador of BiH to Serbia mr Aida Smajić to exchange information on current economic trends and the situation of the economy of Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as opportunities for cooperation on additional investments of Serbian companies in BiH.

Director Marković met with the Head of the Republika Srpska Representation in Belgrade, Mr Mladen Cicović to discuss the organization of business meetings and the promotion of investment opportunities and investment projects owned by BiH companies. It was stated that any cooperation and investments in the Republika Srpska are an encouragement for the BiH economy. Mr Cicović welcomed the initiative of the Director Marković for the organization of the meeting and mutual cooperation.

The Republic of Serbia is the third largest investor in BiH, with the amount of 1.998 million BAM or 1.022 million EUR until December 2019. The largest investment from Serbia was the purchase of Telecommunications RS ad Banja Luka, as well as investments of Komercijalna banka ad Belgrade, Oil Industry of Serbia, Hemofarm ad Vršac, Swissliona Takovo, Imlek ad, and the company Galames Belgrade and many other investments in the energy sector, food production, IT, tourism, metal processing and textile sector.

Despite the fact that over 700 companies with capital from the Republic of Serbia operate in BiH, it was stated that there is interest in investment opportunities in Bosnia and Herzegovina. For that reason, Director Markovic initiated and proposed a joint organization of business meetings of project owners and companies from BiH and companies from Serbia.

FIPA has a database with more than 400 projects of domestic companies, local communities and entities.

Mr Cicović believes that special focus should be placed on Serbian companies exporting to BiH and that they should open production facilities in Republika Srpska.