The European Union has pledged €8 million to demine the right bank of the Sava River, announced by EU Special Representative Luigi Soreca at a ceremony marking the completion of the Brcko Port modernisation on 6 July 2026. The grant, channelled through the Western Balkans Investment Framework (WBIF), aims to clear a 40-kilometre mine-exposed corridor across nine municipalities, unlocking nearly €100 million in inland waterway improvements and enabling safe navigation. The project is expected to shift freight to lower-emission transport, avoiding over 200,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions, and boost trade between Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, and Serbia.
The ceremony celebrated the conclusion of a five-year modernisation of Brcko Port, the country's only international river port. Preparatory works began in June 2021 and finished in June 2026, with total investment exceeding €14.4 million. The EU contributed a non-repayable grant of €3,080,800 via WBIF, complemented by a €10 million favourable loan from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and local contributions. Upgrades include a new high-capacity portal crane (€2.7 million, lifting capacity 16-27.5 tonnes), a 4,500-square-metre asphalt operational plateau, reconstruction of the industrial railway link, and rehabilitation of the 900-metre access road.
Speaking at the event, Ambassador Soreca stressed the port's strategic role: "A modern port means better conditions for businesses, more efficient transport of goods, stronger trade links and new opportunities for economic growth and development." He noted that half of the nearly €1 billion allocated to Bosnia and Herzegovina under the EU Growth Plan is reserved for infrastructure projects under WBIF, urging authorities to seize the opportunity. EBRD Head in Bosnia and Herzegovina Stela Melnic called the completion "an important milestone for Brčko District and for Bosnia and Herzegovina," while Brcko Mayor Siniša Milić highlighted that demining and dredging of the navigation channel are the next critical steps. Perica Josić, Director of JP Luka Brčko, linked the port's future to progress on Corridor Vc, the Belgrade–Sarajevo motorway, railway electrification, and a new bridge between Brčko and Gunja.
The demining project, backed by the €8 million EU grant and a €30 million World Bank loan, will safely clear a mine-exposed corridor spanning nine northern and north-eastern municipalities bordering the Sava. The initiative is designed to unlock integrated inland waterway improvements, expanding trade across the region and reducing carbon emissions by shifting freight from road to river transport.