A formal presentation of the project "Creation of digital orthophoto maps of the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH)"

A formal presentation of the project "Creation of digital orthophoto maps of the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH)" was held on 2 July 2014 in the Grand Hall of the Parliamentary Assembly of BiH in Sarajevo. The main objective of the Project is creation of the digital orthophoto maps of the territory of BiH based on the aerial images and the digital relief model. The funding of EUR 1,300,000.00 for the implementation of the Project was ensured from the European Commission's IPA 2008 Fund. The BiH Ministry of Civil Affairs provided the funding of approximately BAM 600,000.00 for the Project's preparation and implementation support.

The Project was managed by its Steering Board comprised of representatives of the Ministry of Civil Affairs and the entity-level Administrations for Geodetic and Real Property Affairs. It is primarily the BiH citizens, business community, the authorities, and the land administration authorities in BiH in particular, that will benefit the most from the digital orthophoto maps project. Among other things, the data generated under this project will also benefit the recovery from the damages caused by the latest floods and landslides.

Through the implementation of this project, we are maintaining the same level of spatial data collection, maintenance, and distribution, as the countries of the region, but we can also freely say the same level as the countries of the European Union as well. The data generated under this project is part of the basic establishment of the spatial data infrastructure in BiH and it will mandate all authorities at all levels in BiH to work on establishment of the spatial data infrastructure, primarily the legislation, in accordance with the European Union's INSPIRE Directive.

The formal presentation of the Project was attended by Ambassador Peter Sorensen, Head of the EU Delegation to BiH/EU Special Representative, Sredoje Nović, BiH Minister of Civil Affairs, Željko Obradović, Director of the Federal Administration for Geodetic and Real Property Affairs of FBiH, Miloš Komljenović, Acting Director of the Republic Administration for Geodetic and Real Property Affairs of RS, representatives of the Brčko District, and numerous representatives of the state, entity, cantonal and municipal authorities.