BOSNIA BEATS ESTONIA 7:0 IN WORLD CUP QUALIFIER

ZENICA, Bosnia (September 11,2008) - A barnstorming performance saw Bosnia climb back into contention against a sorry-looking Estonia side.Bosnia is celebrating the biggest win in the history of the Bosnian national football team after a 7-0 drubbing of Estonia in Zenica yesterday,with coach Miroslav Blažević proud to say that "even when we were 5-0 up we kept playing like it was still 0-0".

Bosnia got their World Cup qualifying campaign up and running in breathtaking style as they swept sorry Estonia aside in a one-sided encounter in Zenica.

After being unfortunate to lose 1-0 to European champions Spain in their opening Group 5 qualifier on Saturday, Bosnia vented their frustration on an Estonia side yesterday who have lost both of their opening games, shipping 10 goals in the process.

Zvjezdan Misimovic scored a hat trick yesterday to lead Bosnia to a 7-0 rout over Estonia in a World Cup qualifier.

Misimovic made it 1-0 in the 25th after exchanging passes with Edin Dzeko and shooting the ball into the left corner of the net. He doubled his tally with a penalty just four minutes later after Estonia's Taavi Rahn fouled Samir Muratovic in the area.

Bosnia were unstoppable after the interval.Misimovic made it 3-0 in the 56th with a powerful shot from 30 meters (yards) that was fumbled by Estonia goalkeeper Pavel Londak.

Zlatan Muslimovic added a fourth for Bosnia just two minutes later, before Dzeko added two goals of his own, first on a rebound from a free kick and then with a powerful shot from the edge of the penalty area.

Senijad Ibricic completed the rout in the 88th, rounding substitute goalkeeper Mihkel Aksalu and slotting the ball into an open net.

It was the Bosnian national football team coach Miroslav Blazevic's first win since taking over in July.


Video: Bosnia 7-0 Estonia

Bosnia: Kenan Hasagic, Dzemal Berberovic, Emir Spahic, Samir Muratovic (Senijad Ibricic 74), Elvir Rahimic, Dario Damjanovic, Zlatan Muslimovic (Vedad Ibisevic 72) Zvjezdan Misimovic (Miralem Pjanic 69), Edin Dzeko, Safet Nadarevic, Sejad Salihovic.

Estonia: Pavel Londak (Mihkel Aksalu 72) Taavi Rahn, Alo Barengrub, Aleksandr Dmitrijev (Kaimar Saag 68), Ats Purje, Andres Oper, Joel Lindpere (Dmitri Kruglov 68) Martin Vunk, Konstantin Vassiljev, Ragnar Klavan, Enar Jaager .

BOSNIA 7-0 ESTONIA
1-0 Misimovic 25'
2-0 Misimovic (pen.) 29'
3-0 Misimovic 56'
4-0 Muslimovic 58'
5-0 Dzeko 60'
6-0 Dzeko 72'
7-0 Ibricic 88'

GROUP 5
1.Spain 6
2.Turkey 4
3.Belgium 4
4.Bosnia 3
5.Armenia 0
6.Estonia 0
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Bosnian national footbal team coach Miroslav Blazevic reacts to his team's victory of 7 goals against Estonia, (by showing 7 fingers) during the World Cup group 5 qualifying soccer match between Bosnia and Estonia in Zenica, Bosnia, Wednesday, Sept. 10,2008.


Bosnian national football team players celebrate scoring against Estonia during the World Cup group 5 qualifying soccer match between Bosnia and Estonia in Zenica September 10, 2008.
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CARTERON: BOSNIA MADE SPECTACULAR PROGRESS

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (September 11,2008) - The founder and chairman of the Crans Montana Forum (CMF) – Jean-Paul Carteron – said in the Bosnian capital Sarajevo yesterday that Bosnia has made spectacular progress in the previous period, especially in the area of foreign direct investments. He believes that FDI are the true barometer of progress by a transitional country.

Carteron held a presentation for foreign ambassadors and international representatives in Bosnia, of goals and expectations of this year’s CMF, which will be taking place in Sarajevo from October 7 and 10.

As he said, the goal of this year’s multi-dimensional meeting will be to get behind one table the most influential representatives of governments and business communities in the world and local politicians and entrepreneurs.

The Crans Montana Forum is an International Organization created in 1986 whose importance and prestige are well-established.

CMF works for the promotion of international cooperation and contributes to global growth while ensuring a high level of stability, equity and security. The aim is also to foster the best practices and ensure a global dialogue.

The first Crans Montana Forum was dedicated to the political and economic reconstruction of the post Cold War Europe. Since this first event, the Forum has continued to contribute and create meeting opportunities for its participants.
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BOSNIA TO GET 480 MILLION EUROS LOAN FOR CONSTRUCTION OF CORRIDOR 5C HIGHWAY

LONDON, UK (September 11,2008) - A delegation of the Bosnian Ministry of Transport and and Communications helmed by Minister Bozo Ljubic will be at the London headquarters of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) on September 11 and 12. The purpose of this visit will be to discuss funding for four legs of the corridor 5c highway.

The EBRD and the European Investment Bank will fund the building of 65km of the highway, the ministry has announced. Bosnia will be given a loan in the amount of 480 million Euros, and 180 million Euros of that will be provided by the EBRD. Signatures on the loan agreement are expected by the end of this year.
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EC RECOMMENDS STRENGTHENING OF AGRICULTURAL CAPACITIES IN BOSNIA

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (September 11,2008) - Head of the European Commission (EC) Delegation to Bosnia, Ambassador Dimitris Kourkoulas said yesterday that Bosnia should work on increasing the competitiveness of her agricultural produce, and make sure they are available equally in domestic and foreign markets, through a continuous supply of safe food of good quality.

Kourkoulas participated in a closing conference for an EU project worth 1.2 million Euros, aimed at supporting the implementation of recommendations made in the functional overview of the agriculture sector in Bosnia. He reminded that the Common Agricultural Policy was one of the key EU policies.
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SLOVAKIAN COMPANIES TO INVEST IN GORAZDE

GORAZDE, Bosnia (September 11,2008) - Two Slovakian companies are interested to invest in the Gorazde Municipality area, which they confirmed during yesterday’s visit to the eastern Bosnian town.

The representatives of Soria consultants and Revi announced the opening of plants for primary wood processing in Gorazde by the end of this year. They will invest around 2 million Bosnian Marks jointly with a local Seh-in Petrol.

Revi is the second largest company in Slovakia by annual palette sales (1 million Euros) and Seh-in Petrol’s majority shareholder is the Sarajevo Unis Institute.
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RAIFFEISEN BANK BIH - THE LARGEST BANK IN BOSNIA IN 2008

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (September 11,2008) - With assets totalling 4.1 billion Bosnian Marks and a market share of 20 per cent (as of June 30, 2008), Raiffeisen Bank BiH has managed to keep its leading position among commercial banks in the Bosnian market. The bank also leads in terms of total lending, which by the end of June amounted to 2.909 billion Bosnian Marks.

Unicredit banka Mostar follows with assets of 3.3 billion Bosnian Marks and a market share of 16 per cent. Contrary to some expectations, the bank has not managed to dethrone RBA.

Hypo Alpe Adria Mostar is third with assets of 2.4 billion Bosnian Marks, and the other member of the Hypo Group – Hypo Alpe-Adria banka Banja Luka fourth with 2 billion Bosnian Marks. However, the latter was also the only among the ten leading banks in Bosnia to report a loss after the first half of 2008 (17.3 million Bosnian Marks).

The banks that follow in this ranking are the NLB banks, Volksbanka group banks and Intesa Sanpaolo BiH.

The six leading banking groups in Bosnia had joint assets of 16.6 billion Bosnian Marks, and accounted for almost 81 per cent of the Bosnian market.
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