The municipality of Brod has once again confirmed the status of a local community with a favorable business environment, receiving the BFC SEE certificate within the regional program “Business Friendly Certification in South East Europe”.
At today’s session of the Economic Council of the Municipality of Brod, current issues concerning the operation of the public sector were discussed, with special emphasis on finding effective solutions to the current situation in the Public Utility Company “Komvod” a.d. Brod.
The management of Komvod informed the Council members about the company’s condition, and it was concluded that this issue should be included in the agenda of the next session, accompanied by specific proposals for overcoming the company’s operational challenges.
Mayor of Brod, Milan Zečević, stated that the problems within Komvod require special attention and will be emphasized in the coming period.
“I would like to thank the company’s management for preparing a detailed business projection analysis for the upcoming year. No matter how negative it may appear, it is important that we recognize the problems and, together with professionals and business people who understand the balance between profit and loss, identify a set of measures we can implement as soon as possible,” said Zečević.
President of the Economic Council, Gradimir Vukman, announced that the issue concerning the public utility company will also be addressed at the next session.
“We have been briefed on the current situation and the projections for next year. We received the materials that will enable us to continue working on this matter in the upcoming period,” Vukman stated.
Regarding the establishment of a duty-free zone, the Mayor noted that tomorrow the complete documentation, including resolved property and legal matters, the accompanying study, and expert opinions, will be submitted to the Ministry of Economy and Entrepreneurship of the Republic of Srpska.
“The Ministry will then coordinate with the Ministry of Foreign Trade at the state level, and we hope that by the end of the year we will have an official decision on the establishment of a duty-free zone in Brod,” Zečević added.
The Council also reviewed information concerning the adjustment of childcare fees at the Public Preschool Institution “Beli Anđeo”, as well as updates on the ongoing Urban Plan development process.
“This involves the harmonization of cadastral and land registry data on parcels within the municipality of Brod, which is a strategic matter for the development of our community,” said the Council President, Gradimir Vukman.
Additionally, information was presented regarding the state of the economy and employment in Brod over the past year, the implementation and results of the 2025 Brod Fair of Economy, Agriculture, and Tourism, as well as the adopted budget rebalance for 2025 and related investments.
The Economic Council of the Municipality of Brod is an advisory body composed of representatives from the private sector, local government, public services, and civil society organizations. Its main objective is to create more favorable conditions for local economic development and to improve the overall quality of life within the municipality.
Representatives of the European branch of the Chinese company China Shandong International Economic & Technical Cooperation Group Ltd., which is part of the Shandong Hi-Speed Group Co., Ltd., visited the Municipality of Brod today.
During the meeting with Mayor Milan Zečević and the municipal leadership, held at the Municipal Administration offices, discussions focused on possibilities for economic and cultural cooperation, as well as potential joint projects of mutual interest.
The representatives of the Chinese company presented the corporation’s operations and portfolio, while the hosts showcased the numerous economic potentials that Brod has to offer.
In addition to economic cooperation, the meeting also addressed cultural collaboration, and as a first step, a visit by students from Brod to the Chinese Cultural Center in Belgrade was announced.
The delegation consisted of Zhang Jianchao, Deputy General Director of China Shandong International Economic & Technical Cooperation Group Ltd.; Guo Hengyan, General Director of the European Branch; Wang Yan, General Director of China Shandong Hi-Speed Qianfang International Technology Co., Ltd.; and Hu Mingzhuang, Business Manager at the same company.
The Shandong Hi-Speed Group operates in more than 22 provinces across China and in over 100 countries worldwide, ranking among the top 500 Chinese enterprises.
The visit of the company’s representatives to the Municipality of Brod is a result of the contacts established by Mayor Milan Zečević during his previous two visits to China.
The BizUp Goes Green&Digital program (more information at the link) is co-financed by the European Union (EU) and the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development of the Federal Republic of Germany through the Private Sector Development Initiative in BiH. This initiative is part of the broader GIZ Sustainable Economic Development and Employment Promotion (SEDEP) program in BiH.
The program is open to female entrepreneurs from all over Bosnia and Herzegovina who want to strengthen their businesses and actively contribute to the green transition through innovative practices (whether it is the use of sustainable materials, energy efficiency, circular economy, waste reduction, environmental protection or other sustainable business models) as well as improving their digital presence, automating processes, using digital tools and platforms or developing digital products and services.
The goal of the program is to provide support to female entrepreneurs in developing and improving green, digital and sustainable business practices, mastering specific knowledge and skills in the field of sustainably responsible business, and strengthening the competitiveness, resilience and visibility of their businesses on the market.
The public call was published on August 2, 2025 in the daily newspaper “Glas Srpske” and on the website of the Ministry of Economy and Entrepreneurship and remains open until Monday, August 25, 2025.
If there are any questions you'd like to ask, please fill in the below form and one of our team members will contact you back.