[ad_1]
The Chinese-led project has angered Bosnian officials who believe it violates the state’s right to open waters.
A large bridge funded by the European Union built by a Chinese company has been connected to the Adriatic Sea, connecting the two coastlines of Croatia separated by a small part of the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
After the installation of the last section of the Peljesac Bridge was completed, a midnight opening ceremony consisting of folk dancers, singing and a huge fireworks display was held on the Peljesac Bridge on Wednesday.
The project cost 420 million euros (500 million US dollars), of which 85% was funded by the European Union. It is a rare Chinese project in Europe that has undergone a regular bidding process.
At the ceremony, Croatian Prime Minister Andrei Plenković stated that the bridge represents “a fascinating strategic achievement of the Croatian people and their country”, realizing their connection to the Adriatic coastline. Long-term dream.
“I really think this is a big deal for Croatia, the Croatian people, our friends in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the Croats in Bosnia and Herzegovina,” he said.
“We connect what we call modern sovereignty. This is a very clear project. We are realizing strategic interests at the moment we strengthen our international position and enrich it by joining the EU.”
The opening ceremony on Wednesday has folk dancers, singing and a huge firework display [AP Photo]It is expected that the bridge and its connecting road will be fully completed in June next year.
Until then, road travelers who want to travel to some of Croatia’s most attractive tourist destinations (such as Dubrovnik’s old town) still need to pass through two border checks between Bosnia and Croatia at the Bosnian seaside port Neum stand.
Plenkovic said that the bridge will not divide, but will connect people and the country.
“This bridge connects not only Croatia, but also the European Union and Bosnia-Herzegovina,” he said.
But the project angered Bosnian officials, who claimed that the bridge violated the country’s sovereignty to the high seas of the Adriatic Sea.
The project began in July 2018 after China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) won an international tender for the construction of a 2.4-kilometer (1.5-mile) long bridge.
In recent years, China has been injecting capital into Central and Eastern European countries as part of its “One Belt One Road” strategic project, which includes upgrading infrastructure to establish a network of transportation and trade links between China and Europe.
However, EU officials worry that Chinese investment will increase its economic and political influence in the region, which is still affected by the bloody disintegration of the former Yugoslavia in the 1990s.
[ad_2]
Source link