The launch of free public Wi-Fi networks across Bosnia and Herzegovina as part of the Wi-Fi for the Western Balkans (WiFi4WB) initiative was officially marked today at the Milanović House in Banja Luka. Through this program, citizens in 116 municipalities and cities across the country will gradually gain access to free, fast and reliable internet in public locations such as squares, parks, libraries, schools and cultural institutions.

This initiative is part of the EU4Digital project, funded by the European Union and Germany and implemented by GIZ.

As part of the initiative, free public Wi-Fi will be established in around 500 municipalities and cities across the Western Balkans, modeled after the successful EU WiFi4EU program, through which free public internet has already been provided in more than 7,000 communities across Europe, the EU Delegation to BiH announced.

The same model of free public connectivity is now being expanded to Bosnia and Herzegovina and the entire region, enabling citizens to access online services more easily.

The first free hotspot in Bosnia and Herzegovina was officially launched today by the Minister of Communications and Transport of Bosnia and Herzegovina Edin Forto, the Mayor of Banja Luka Draško Stanivuković, the Ambassador of the European Union to Bosnia and Herzegovina Luigi Soreca, the Deputy Ambassador of Germany to Bosnia and Herzegovina Bernhard Abels and the Executive Director of Technology of M:tel Rastko Pavlović.

• Thousands of municipalities and cities across the European Union are already taking advantage of free public Wi-Fi with the support of the EU, and today local communities across Bosnia and Herzegovina are joining them. Free public Wi-Fi is not a luxury, but a basic infrastructure. The European Union invests in what is important for the daily lives of citizens, schools, hospitals, transport, clean energy and digital connectivity. Our support reflects the European future that we are building together, a future based on connectivity, opportunities and a better quality of life for all citizens, said Ambassador Soreca.

The European Union and Germany are fully financing the costs of installing and maintaining Wi-Fi hotspots across Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Deputy Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to BiH Bernhard Abels emphasized the importance of equal access to digital services for all citizens.

• Access to reliable internet is essential for modern life, and this project, a joint initiative of Germany and the European Union, aims to provide free public Wi-Fi in 500 municipalities and cities across the region – including 116 in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Our goal is to contribute to making Bosnia and Herzegovina a more modern and developed country. Germany continues to support the digital development of the Western Balkans, as well as Bosnia and Herzegovina on its path to EU membership, said Abels.

Minister of Communications and Transport of Bosnia and Herzegovina Edin Forto welcomed the initiative as an important step towards improving digital infrastructure and connectivity in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

• The expansion of free public Wi-Fi in local communities improves digital connectivity, supports the digitalization of public services, reduces the digital divide and brings the opportunities brought by the digital economy closer to citizens. It is this kind of infrastructure that will decide who will be one step ahead, said Minister Forto.

During the event, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the City of Banja Luka and GIZ, which formalized the local implementation of the project, followed by a symbolic “first connection” to the WiFi4WB network.

• The launch of the WiFi4WB initiative represents an important step towards a modern, connected and accessible Banja Luka and the Republika Srpska. Today, from Kuća Milanovića, we send a clear message, and that is what we want: a city where the internet is available to everyone, without restrictions, because digital connectivity is no longer a luxury, but a basic need for every person. We are proud that Banja Luka is part of the project that will include 116 municipalities across Bosnia and Herzegovina, and that together with our partners from the European Union and international institutions, we are building the foundations for even stronger development, education and economy. We continue to work concretely and responsibly, to invest in infrastructure, in youth and in the future. Banja Luka is moving forward, in step with modern European trends, said Mayor Stanivuković.

Telecom operator M:tel has been selected through a public tender to implement and maintain a Wi-Fi infrastructure funded by the European Union and Germany in selected public locations.

In the coming weeks, citizens across Bosnia and Herzegovina will be able to connect to free Wi-Fi networks in public spaces in their cities and municipalities, joining thousands of local communities across Europe that are already using similar programs funded by the European Union.