Companies from Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina actively engage in cross-border tenders, facilitating significant economic exchanges. According to analyses by New Economy and Capital.ba, Bosnian companies secured over one billion dinars through 92 public procurements in Serbia between January 2019 and April 2024. Conversely, data on Serbian companies in Bosnia and Herzegovina remains incomplete due to unresponsive authorities.
The procurements predominantly span the IT sector, encompassing software acquisition, maintenance, license renewals and technical support. Dragan Dobrašinović, founder of the Toplica Center for Democracy and Human Rights, emphasizes that public procurement laws treat foreign and domestic companies equally, with no preferential treatment for locals.
The Register of Bidders, maintained by the Agency for Economic Registers, facilitates participation by verifying legal entities’ compliance with procurement eligibility criteria, simplifying future tender submissions. Only domestic entities and foreign representative offices can enroll, aiming to streamline bureaucratic processes.
Among the notable tenders, companies from Bosnia and Herzegovina clinched lucrative contracts in Serbia’s public sector. Lanaco from Banja Luka, in collaboration with a Belgrade counterpart, secured a significant framework agreement valued at 160 million dinars for business information system maintenance under Elektrodistribucija Srbije.
Similarly, Hemos impregnation from Bijeljina won multiple contracts, including procurement of impregnated switch and bridge materials from the Railway Infrastructure of Serbia, totaling approximately 212.89 million dinars.
Conversely, Serbian companies, bolstered by contracts from Elektroprivreda Republike Srpske (ERS) and Olympic Center “Jahorina” in Bosnia and Herzegovina, significantly contribute to bilateral economic ties. Notably, Energointeh cybernetics from Belgrade secured contracts for cyber protection services with ERS, highlighting substantial cross-border collaborations.
These transactions underscore the robust economic interdependence between Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, facilitated by transparent procurement practices and mutual economic benefits.
