The Swiss Ambassador in BiH, HE Heinrich Maurer visited the Foreign Investment Promotion Agency of BiH (FIPA) and talked with the Director Gordan Milinić on the activities of the Embassy and the possibilities for increasing Swiss investments in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
He expressed full support to the work of FIPA, noting that the common goal of FIPA and the Swiss Embassy is improving the economic situation in BiH, creating jobs and improving the standard of living.
As successful examples of Swiss investments, the Ambassador mentioned the company Bontex from Maglaj, which operates in the textile industry, Standard Prnjavor which operates in the wood industry, as well as company Juwal, Vitaminka and Wagner Automotive, pointing out that it is very important that these investors have the support of competent institutions in order that they extend their business and the stay in the country. However, Swiss companies are asking for improving the business environment in BiH, giving comments on the widespread bureaucracy, often unequal treatment of foreign investors compared to domestic entrepreneurs, corruption, long waiting for the court decisions.
Foreign investors who already operate in the country are the best promoters of BiH in the business world, so they must have confidence in the national institutions and see a serious commitment of competent institutions to be of service to foreign investors.
The Director Milinić thanked the Ambassador for his engagement related to the Swiss investments, because Switzerland occupies 7th place in the ranking of countries foreign investors in BiH and he stressed that certainly by mutual engagement there is a space for an increase of Swiss investments in Bosnia and Herzegovina. He informed the Ambassador about the current activities of the Agency on finding contacts with potential investors, the establishment of cooperation with embassies in BiH and BiH embassies abroad, activities in cooperation with relevant institutions to strengthen economic diplomacy and contacts across the diaspora (more than 60,000 BiH citizens are living in Switzerland).
It was agreed that the Swiss Embassy and FIPA work together to remove barriers faced by the Swiss investors, organize visits to fairs and trade events and meetings with potential investors from Switzerland.
