Bosnia and Herzegovina: Doing business and staying in touch

Doing Business in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Economy

The Yugoslav civil war that broke out in 1992 brought Bosnia & Herzegovina's economy to a standstill. Most post-war international aid was directed to reconstruction of the Muslim-Croat region. The Republika Srpska got much of its industrial sector working again with support from Milosevic's Yugoslavia but this was set back by its war with NATO in the late 1990s. Since then, the central government has received loans, totalling approximately US$250 million, from the IMF.

The growth rate is currently 5.5%, while inflation stands at 1.6%. Unemployment, which officially is around 30%, is currently the biggest problem facing the economy.

GDP

US$19.36 billion (2008).

Main exports

Wood, paper, clothing and metal products.

Main imports

Machinery and equipment, chemicals, fuels and food.

Main trading partners

Croatia, Germany, Italy, Austria, Slovenia and Hungary.

Keeping in Touch in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Mobile Phone

Roaming agreements exist with some international mobile phone companies. Coverage is average.

Internet

Internet cafes are on the increase in the larger towns throughout the country.

Media

Since the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the media is no longer steeped in propaganda, but it is still only partially free, with journalists under pressure from state bodies and political parties to somewhat censor their content. This is thanks to the 1995 Dayton Peace Accord efforts, although this has had limited success. The most influential broadcasters are the public radio and TV stations operated by the Bosnian Muslim-Croat and Serb entities. New independent commercial channels are now in development. The main newspapers for the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Dnevni Avaz and Oslobodjenje, are published in Sarajevo.

Post

Normal post takes approximately one week to reach its destination, while heavier packages could take up to 10 days. Coins, bank notes, precious metals and stones, narcotics, alcohol, firearms and ammunition are not permitted to be sent by mail.

Generally Monday to Friday 1000-1700.