HIGH GROWTH OF DIRECT FOREIGN INVESTMENTS IN BIH IN 2019

-There is a great chance that this year will reach the magic figure of one billion BAM of foreign direct investment in BiH 

According to the preliminary data published by the Central Bank of Bosnia and Herzegovina within the DSI flows for the period from January to June 2019, foreign direct investments amounted to BAM 650.1 million or EUR 332.4 million, which is an increase of 53.6% compared to the same period in 2018.

The FIPA Director Gordan Milinić points out that this is significant news, given that both 2018 and 2017 were among the best in terms of foreign investment in the last ten years (close to BAM 800 million annually). If this growth trend continues from the first half of the year, this year could be a record for the amount of foreign investments, or it could reach the magic figure of one billion BAM. Although all discussions with potential foreign investors are fraught with difficult questions from foreign investors about the difficult political situation in BiH, FIPA's constant presence at all investor events, presentations and meetings, as well as pointing out the benefits of investing in BiH and the positive experiences of current foreign investors in BiH , give results. For such work, FIPA was named the best investment agency in Central and Eastern Europe at a major investment summit in Dubai in April this year.

The trend of investment growth continues thanks to efforts to improve the business environment in BiH, to which FIPA continually insists through its recommendations sent to the BiH Council of Ministers and to all entity, cantonal and municipal bodies.

FIPA doesn’t allow foreign investors to feel lonely in the face of numerous administrative hurdles in BiH, but continually monitor them, intervene with the competent authorities and recommend eliminating the obstacles they see, which greatly contributed to expanding the business of existing foreign investor companies, and starting new ones, which ultimately leads to an increase in the number of employees.

In its efforts to seek new potential investors, FIPA points out that it has great assistance from the BiH Ministry of Foreign Affairs with the network of BiH diplomatic missions and consular posts abroad, the BiH Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations, as well as the BiH Foreign Trade Chamber and all chambers of commerce and existing foreign embassies in Sarajevo.

All BiH authorities have task to continue to carry out the necessary reforms, proposing measures to further improve the business environment and improve the country's image, and find new investors for Bosnia and Herzegovina.