Ambassador Sattler inaugurates newly reconstructed basketball and football court in Banja Luka and underlines impact of EU assistance for citizens

The Head of the EU Delegation to Bosnia and Herzegovina and EU Special Representative Ambassador Johann Sattler paid a farewell visit to Banja Luka today where he inaugurated a newly reconstructed court for basketball and football and underlined the EU's continued engagement to improve the quality of life for citizens across Bosnia and Herzegovina, including through the ongoing Banja Luka Water Supply Project.

Ambassador Sattler visited the outdoor sport facility in Starčevica with the Mayor of Banja Luka Draško Stanivuković. Starčevica is one of three areas for sport and recreation for children in the city recently renovated or constructed with the assistance of the EU. The two other play areas are at Obilićevo and Delibašino Selo. The EU's investment in these facilities is worth 107,000 euros.

"The safety and well-being of young people is essential for every community. I am delighted that the EU has been able to support the reconstruction of three playgrounds in Banja Luka. In just a few months, these areas have been transformed into vibrant and friendly spots where children can play, learn and grow. This playground project is just one of many initiatives that demonstrate the EU's commitment to supporting improvements for ordinary people across Bosnia and Herzegovina. One of the most important for Banja Luka is the EU-funded Banja Luka Water Project. When completed, this will provide safe, potable water to an additional 17,000 people, improve sanitation in urban and rural areas of the city and reduce water-borne diseases," said Ambassador Sattler.

"The most important project we are currently working on in Banja Luka is the Water Supply Project, for which the European Union provided Banja Luka with a grant of 8 million KM. It includes water supply projects for Donja Kola, Grab and Slavićka, bringing water to more than 500 households. On the other hand, several thousands of people who had water, but with interruptions in the water supply, will now get regular and uninterrupted water supply. In addition, the European Union granted us about 200 thousand KM to do what is also important to us, which are children's playgrounds, sports fields and parks," said Mayor Stanivuković.

Given the impact of climate change and soaring temperatures as well as aging infrastructure on water supply in Bosnia and Herzegovina, investments in water supply and water quality are crucial. To date, the EU has provided around 83 million euros in grants to help Bosnia and Herzegovina align with EU standards in the field of water management, urban wastewater treatment, and drinking water. The EU is currently funding several projects to expand and rebuild water delivery networks in Visoko and Sarajevo, and have recently concluded a project that improved the water supply system in Gradačac. Moreover, recently, a new 16.7 million euro grant was approved under the Western Balkans Investment Framework to finance the Water and Sanitation Programme, which will support multiple municipalities in Republika Srpska.