This report covers the main macroeconomic releases from February 6 until March 5, 2015 as well as the financial and political events that took place in Bosnia during this period.
Bosnia’s parliament has approved the nominated by the tripartite presidency Denis Zvizdic as the country’s new Prime Minister. Several days later, the parliament adopted on February 23 a statement declaring the country’s pro-European Union commitment, which includes a plan for political and economic reforms that should speed up its path toward EU membership.
The EBRD plans to approve financing for new projects worth between €100mn and €200mn in Bosnia in 2015, according to head of the bank in the country, Jan Braun. EBRD will provide financing to 10-20 projects.
Bosnia’s government said it expects a real economic growth of 3.4% in 2015, which should further accelerate to 4.1% next year and 4.4% in 2017 thanks to expected lower trade deficit.
On the corporative front, Bosnia's largest power utility Elektroprivreda BiH (EP BiH) said it plans to invest BAM2.1bn (€1.1bn) in different projects in 2015-2017, using own funds and external financing. The company will invest in production, distribution, supply, and trade operations, capital infrastructure, mining and other joint projects.
Serbia’s energy firm NIS, controlled by Russia’s Gazprom Neft, has confirmed commercial stocks of oil in a well in Bosnia’s Serb Republic.

Key points:
• CPI deflation deepened further to 0.9% y/y in January from 0.4% y/y in December
• The retail sales, measured in constant prices, increased by 8.3% y/y in January, speeding up from a 3.8% y/y rise in the previous month due to higher growth of sales of non-food products and automotive fuel
• The distributive trade turnover increased by 3.7% y/y in Q4, accelerating from a revised 2.5% y/y rise in Q3