The Swiss Ambassador in BiH, HE Heinrich Maurer visited the Foreign Investment Promotion Agency of BiH (FIPA) and talked with the Director Gordan Milinić on the activities of the Embassy and the possibilities for increasing Swiss investments in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
He expressed full support to the work of FIPA,
noting that the common goal of FIPA and the Swiss Embassy is improving the
economic situation in BiH, creating jobs and improving the standard of living.
As successful examples of Swiss investments,
the Ambassador mentioned the company Bontex from Maglaj, which operates in the
textile industry, Standard Prnjavor which operates in the wood industry, as
well as company Juwal, Vitaminka and Wagner Automotive, pointing out that it is
very important that these investors have the support of competent institutions in
order that they extend their business and the stay in the country. However,
Swiss companies are asking for improving the business environment in BiH,
giving comments on the widespread bureaucracy, often unequal treatment of
foreign investors compared to domestic entrepreneurs, corruption, long waiting
for the court decisions.
Foreign investors who already operate in the
country are the best promoters of BiH in the business world, so they must have
confidence in the national institutions and see a serious commitment of
competent institutions to be of service to foreign investors.
The Director Milinić thanked the Ambassador for
his engagement related to the Swiss investments, because Switzerland occupies 7th
place in the ranking of countries foreign investors in BiH and he stressed that
certainly by mutual engagement there is a space for an increase of Swiss
investments in Bosnia and Herzegovina. He informed the Ambassador about the
current activities of the Agency on finding contacts with potential investors,
the establishment of cooperation with embassies in BiH and BiH embassies
abroad, activities in cooperation with relevant institutions to strengthen
economic diplomacy and contacts across the diaspora (more than 60,000 BiH citizens
are living in Switzerland).
It was agreed that the Swiss Embassy and FIPA
work together to remove barriers faced by the Swiss investors, organize visits
to fairs and trade events and meetings with potential investors from
Switzerland.
A large delegation of Swiss businessmen will
come to Bosnia and Herzegovina in May 2016.