INTERVIEW: ŠAĆIR ŠOŠEVIĆ, HEAD OF SARAJEVO REGIONAL CENTRE FOR STRATEGIC PLANNING AND INVESTMENT ‘GEOPROJECT’
Interviewed by Hamed IBIŠEVIĆ
SARAJEVO, April 5 (ONASA) – Head of Sarajevo Regional Centre for Strategic Planning and Investment “Geoproject” Šaćir Šošević in the interview for the ONASA Agency, among other things, talks about the basic objectives of the Regional Centre for Strategic Planning and Investment “Geoprojekt”, tasks of the 9th Regional Investment Forum RIF 2015, concept of the development of cities and economic infrastructure of the Adriatic-Ionian region, generators of the economic development of a country, the use of the EU IPA funds in BiH, the most important successes of “Geoproject” and prejudices in BiH towards the construction of hydropower plants …
ONASA: Could you briefly present the work and the basic objectives of the Regional Centre for Planning and Investment?
ŠOŠEVIĆ: Basic content of activities, in the past, was related to the services of planning and making of development programs and plans of local and regional communities, then making of investment-technical programs for the regulation of soft loans and other sources of funding in order to implement concrete projects, and feasibility studies and environmental studies. From 1997 began organizing of regional investment forums, as specific events in order to promote the development strategies from the municipal to the state level, as well as the harmonization of realization of economic infrastructure facilities of regional importance.
Of course, it is necessary to adjust the scope and content of activities to market conditions, and in certain periods were present oscillations in terms of workload, but also the structure itself. Realistically in the post-war period in BiH the privatization and sale of assets and resources were primary, and not the designed development and optimal use of natural and (previously) made resources. So far the business climate in BiH has not been kind to us, because the development interested only few.
The principal objective of activities is to achieve a profit for the normal functioning of the company, through the implementation of the required scope and structure of services, but also to help other (economic) entities to prepare and implement profitable projects, and state authorities to make optimum use of natural resources and build economic infrastructure facilities.
ONASA: What are the fundamental tasks of the upcoming 9th Regional Investment Forum RIF 2015? Could you introduce participants of this forum?
ŠOŠEVIĆ: The main motive of the upcoming 9th Regional Investment Forum – RIF 2015 is better positioning of BiH in the framework of the Adriatic-Ionian Euroregion, particularly its Development Strategy until 2020, which has been already accepted by the competent authorities at the regional and EU level. Conceptual work of the Forum has been adapted to it. Namely, after the opening of the Forum and speeches by the local and international officials, the content of the Forum is divided into four themes – panels. The theme of the Panel I is “The Development Strategy of the Adriatic-Ionian Macro-region”. The program envisaged that the speakers are: Secretary General of the Regional Cooperation Council of the AI Goran Svilanović, Ivan Jakovčić, the member of the EU Parliament and the rapporteur for the Adriatic-Ionian Strategy, the Head of the Regional Centre for Planning and Investment Šaćir Šošević with the theme ” Convention on the development of cities and economic infrastructure of the Adriatic-Ionian Euroregion (AIER)”.
Moderator of this Panel is the BiH National Coordinator for the AIER Development Strategy Branimir Jukić, and as panelists in this part of the Forum, their contribution to the significance and implementation of the Strategy should give the respective representatives of the AI Regional Cooperation Council, AIER representatives, and national coordinators for the Strategy of BiH and other AIER countries.
In Panel 2, on the theme “Planning the development of cantons/districts and cities” representatives of the competent authorities and institutions will present concepts and projections for planned development and use of space in BiH and other AIER countries, and verify the compliance and eventual collision in the planned routes and corridors of economic infrastructure facilities.
The theme of the Panel 3 is “Economic infrastructure – public sector” within which the competent ministers and heads of public enterprises, or their associates, will present the priorities in the implementation of economic infrastructure facilities at national and regional level. Here is expected the focus on the Adriatic-Ionian highway, pipeline and other projects of regional significance.
The theme of the Panel 4 is “Financing, funds and banks” in which the representatives of financial institutions will present possible lines of credit and their interest to financially support some of the economic infrastructure facilities, especially those with a high degree of compliance and readiness for implementation. In addition to the attendance of representatives of commercial banks and funds, active participation of representatives of WB, EBRD, EIB, USAID, UNDP and others is expected.
ONASA: When should the concept of the development of cities and economic infrastructure of the Adriatic-Ionian region turn into concrete project?
ŠOŠEVIĆ: The convention (not the concept) of the development of cities and economic infrastructure of the AIER has already been accepted by a number of signatories, however, it is expected that the Convention will be accepted by a larger number of potential signatories – cantonal governments, counties, districts and other entities. The proposal of the Convention will be sent to the participants of the RIF 2015, and after receiving the confirmation of acceptance of the Convention, the Assembly of signatories of the Convention will be held, adopted a Statute and elected administrative and operating bodies. After registration of the Association for the development of cities and economic infrastructure of the AIER, elected bodies of the Association will activate its work, including the work of the Research and Development Institute, as the operating body for the preparation and implementation of specific projects, in the status of non-profit organization. This will establish a formal legal, operational and technical framework for assistance and business cooperation with the competent authorities, as well as with business entities with an aim to plan and implement specific facilities of economic infrastructure, as well as other projects and programs of the rational use of natural and man-made resources of BiH and the region.
ONASA: What is, in your opinion, the generator of economic development of a country or region? What is the concept of regionalism for you?
ŠOŠEVIĆ: Generator of the development of every country, including regions, are available natural and work created resources, but also other factors that directly or indirectly affect the level and dynamics of development of a particular area – development of political-economic system, motivation and education of the working age population, and political/economic situation of surroundings, which implies the immediate surroudings (region) or wider – continent, in our case the European Union. In the case of BiH particular problem are the socio-economic relations in BiH (very unfavorable), but the region as well, for now, does not act from a position of joint development concepts, but more or less every country is trying to develop at the expense of neighbors, or independently of them. This is the wrong approach. Spatial and market wise all the Balkan countries are small for large investments, which is one of the important reasons for the modest volume of foreign investment. Regional cooperation is the officially EU orientation, through the creation of Euroregions, but also the condition to candidate countries for accession to the community.
Regionalism is a broad term, widely accepted in official strategies of the European Commission – Euroregions, makes the basic structure of the EU (Baltic, the Danube, the Adriatic-Ionian Euroregion and others), but for now, in BiH it is viewed as something that is not our strategy and orientation, except for individual initiatives. The Council for Regional Cooperation, which is based in Sarajevo, has not, so far, yielded the expected results. Regionalism can and should become a system acceptable both from the political and economical point of view, especially from the position of planning and implementation of economic infrastructure projects of common interest. Regionalism should be accepted as a good correction and replacement of already outdated forms of capitalism and socialism, of course with a realistic approach to rejection of bad or acceptance of good elements of each of these systems.
ONASA: Have BiH and countries in the region sufficiently used the EU IPA funds?
ŠOŠEVIĆ: IPA funds were a good test both for local and international bodies and institutions with regard to the preparation of state bodies and organizations, but also of business entities and non-governmental sectors to directly test their own ability and possibilities of active participation in the use of funds, through the development of project ideas and applications. This was a useful process both for government authorities and other participants in the use of the IPA funds. Of course, a lot more could and should have been done and more funds could be withdrawn, especially in the component the “cross-border cooperation”. In this component was shown and certain inconsistency of evaluators during evaluation of submitted applications, which should be eliminated in the future work. To compare how much did BiH and neighboring countries use the IPA funds there are indicators in the relevant bodies and institutions and they should be originally used. It should be noted that it is very important to prepare for the use of funds of the EC when BiH becomes the candidate for the EU. This work should already now be considered as urgent.
ONASA: What are the current most important successes of “Geoprojekt” and what are your plans for the future?
ŠOŠEVIĆ: “Geoprojekt” d.o.o. Sarajevo with its operation contributed to the construction of numerous residential-commercial and utility facilities. It gave a significant contribution to the development of spatial and urban planning and made several investment-technical programs and studies. Based on its investment and technical programs for reconstruction and construction of utility systems, explained in Vienna, the Austria Control Bank approved a total of 11.5 million euros of favorable (soft loan) loans to municipalities in BiH.
The role of the Regional Centre for Planning and Investment is very important and noted, “Geoprojekt” had the active status in the “Forum Agency” for BiH in preparation and realization of the CEI Summit Economic Forum in Budapest in 2000, in Trieste in 2001 and Skopje in 2002. In 2003, “Geoprojekt” was the coordinator of the participation of the BiH delegation at the International Fair in Izmir, Turkey. Also significant is the participation at the US – European business conference in St. Louis in 1997. Since 1997 until 2005 were implemented eight regional investment forums in Sarajevo, of the international character, and participants, co-organizers or patrons were members of the BiH Presidency, BiH Council of Ministers, some state bodies and BiH organizations, as well as the European Commission, OHR, WB, EBRD, USAID and others. As the special success we consider construction of its own residential and business building in Sarajevo, with a total of 750 square meters of usable area.
The General Manager of “Geoprojekt” d.o.o. Sarajevo, Šaćir Šošević, is the author of the Impact Study of HE “Višegrad” on the spatial planning of the coastal area of the Drina River, and by elements of that study, was controlled and the bed model of the Drina River at the Institute “Jaroslav Cerni” in Belgrade, the Study was accepted in its entirety, and based on it were corrected elements of the conceptual design and “HE Višegrad” was built.
Also were conducted some other significant impact studies of the planned hydropower plants on the spatial planning of coastal area (the upper reaches of the river Drina), impact studies for Block VI – TE Tuzla and others. Unfortunately, this highly professional approach to the impact of hydropower facilities in the design stage was left forgotten at a later BiH practice even though it has received the most professional reviews of the former Yugoslav experts in this field.
Plans for continuity of action relate mainly to continue organizing Regional Investment Forums, as the annual international event, focusing on the Adriatic-Ionian Euroregion. We plan to secure more intensive regional cooperation through the process of acceptance and implementation of the Convention on the development of cities and economic infrastructure of the Adriatic-Ionian macro-region. It will be discussed more specifically at the upcoming RIF 2015.
ONASA: Does the general public in BiH has a certain prejudice against the construction of hydroelectric power plants?
ŠOŠEVIĆ: General public in BiH has a very superficial information on the need to build hydropower facilities on the territory of BiH. During preparation for the design and realization of hydropower facilities on the territory of BiH it has been noticed that in the current approach investors, primarily the electric power industry of BiH, have a very superficial approach – in the first phase towards the local or wider community in the area where a hydropower facility should be built. Namely, energetic experts always try to get the most out of bed, in terms of the amount of energy, so it would be a profitable investment, which is logical from the investor’s position. However, they do not devote enough attention to the impact of such an object to the spatial and the planned development of the area in which should be built the hydropower facility and, of course, as a consequence there is the conflict. Unfortunately, those are not disputes or, tentatively speaking, conflicts at the level of crossing arguments from profession but they are very often based on superficial assessments from the position of individuals within a socio-political community and who those individual, unfounded opinions very often transfer to the discussions in the municipal councils where are practically and made formal decisions. So, the fact is that the approach to the common interest of investors, in this case the electric power industry and the community on the territory of where it is built, should be at a higher, expert level, accompanied by adequate impact studies as was done in the case of the hydroelectric power plant “Višegrad” where after such approach was agreed the project and built hydroelectric power plant, which has, obviously, not only justified the investment but also addressed the issue of benefits with regard to the social-political communities. In conclusion, a far more serious approach is needed in preparation, planning and design of hydropower projects, especially when it comes to defining the common interest. Until now, not enough has been done and, of course, it would be necessary to first of all investors, as representatives of the energy system, but also the communities find the appropriate approach because it is our very important resource. Hydropower plants as renewable energy sources are supported and by the European Commission, so for these things finances are not a problem, and one of the most important resources in the current period, especially in the last 20 years, was not used enough and the approach to the building of the hydropower facilities should be much more serious.
ONASA: Does BiH give enough attention to the air pollution, whether it is a matter of individual households or industrial production?
ŠOŠEVIĆ: Air pollution in many cities in BiH is the fact that is more or less known. The need to resolve this problem is present in the daily news programs of all media. Something is being done to resolve it, but not enough. To achieve major results, synchronized activity of multiple actors is necessary. Namely, for several years the Environmental Protection Fund of the FBiH, by Public calls, gives financial support to activities aimed at protection of air. It is known that in terms of energy efficiency it is necessary to replace boilers and energy sources in many facilities of public functions (hospitals, schools, administrative buildings …) and there are some investments in that and steps for the better.
The essence is to devote more attention to securing large quantities of bio energy sources (gas, pellets, briquettes, etc.), as well as renewable energy sources and on this basis provide the energy sources base for the significant replacement of classical fuels (coal, oil), especially in urban areas, where pollution is the most pronounced. Without a doubt, the solution is in much greater use of renewable energy sources (hydropower, energy sources from the remains of the wood biomass, gas, wind and solar energy). (end)