Bosnia on verge of becoming 'landlocked' 

✔ The first 100 people to go to www.blinkist.com/CaspianReport are going to get unlimited access for 1 week to try it out. You'll also get 25% off if you want the full membership.

More from the Balkans please!

Man that area and coastline is beautiful, also love the architecture.

So, let's get it straight, seabed isn't deep enough for ships entering Neum, they are already using croatian seaport, and now a bridge is consider to be like a wall for Bosnia? Come on, use logic people

It is a tragedy that Bosnian aircraft carriers won't be able anymore to exit Bosnian waters on their way to the missions in world's oceans.

12 meters short of the golden gate bridge? I doubt bosnia will be sailing Nimitz class super carriers underneath the bridge.

I am Bosniak myself. As far I I can notice, the whole political and media crap about this bridge is total stupidity. Neum is small town of 5.000 people. They ALL live by tourism and want to stay like that. Neum sea area IS NOT suitable for sea port. If there is ever gonna be a big sea port it would destroy natural habitat and tourism of that area, and nobody wants that. So, Neum WILL NEVER BE a sea port. Simple as that. There is port of Ploce, as is mentioned in this video. Bosnia and Croatia signed a special treaty upon independence so Bosnia can use port of Ploce to transport goods from there to its teritory. Same as all people in Neum live from tourism, all people in Ploce live by revenues and transport of Bosnian goods in their port. So, port of Ploce is enough for sea transportation of Bosnian goods to Bosnia. Even Croatian membership did not change anything regarding this. When it comes to transport of people from one part of Croatia to Dubrovnik region, it caused anxiety to both countries, because traffic jams and border checks were just impossible to handle. Neum is very small town, it has too many tourists who stay in town, plus people who are doing transit from Ploce area to Dubrovnik. It is just too much with 4 border checks in distance of 20 km. Peljesac bridge will be good for Croatia to cpnnrct its two landmasses and for Neum and Bosnia to give themselves a break and invest in tourism in Neum more. There is already ongoing construction just northern of Neum where Bosnian authorrities in Federation are biilding a tunnel that will shorten distance between town of Stolac and Neum. This will bring many many more Bosnian tourists to Neum. And with Peljesac bridge in function Neum will be able to enjoy full potential of tourism and not be overcrowded always by cars that are just transpassing to Dubrovnik. Both, Bosnian and Croatian, politicians are just using this matter to promote their own agendas, same as they use anything else. Ordinary people in both countries are totally aware of potential of this bridge for both countries and do not waste their time arguing about nothing.

As a Civil engineering student with background in Bridge engineering, I can say that the height of the bridge (55m) is within its rights for the safe passage of freight under it the longest bridge in Europe (Øresund between Malmö and København, which I recently did a dissertation on) is 57m above sea level and has a sea lane under it (even if most are diverted around it) also I would assume that the 67m of the Golden Gate bridge is in line with Americans codes of practice rather than Eurocodes hence the discrepancy

Bosnia uses the Croatian port of Ploče for all mayor maritime imports, Bosnia has no major port in Neum.

Croatia is building a bridge, not a wall. Bridge height is more than enough for freely ship passage and considering the disadvantages of potential port it simply doesn't make sense what they are asking. They can dream about building the new Rotterdam there, but we all know it's not realistic. This matter is just used for some cheap politics points in Bosnia. They will not press a lawsuit because it is ridiculous and they are aware of it.

Bosnia is surprisingly gorgeous with its hills and valleys.

This is like saying Romania is landlocked because Turkey built a bridge across the Bosphorus.

Almost nobody in Bosnia and Herzegovina pays attention to this anymore, so this issue is much more relevant for Chinese-EU relations due to Chinese involvement in construction works. Secondly, Bosnia and Herzegovina has FINALLY decided to connect its Adriatic coast with inner BiH with building a modern highway (you can even see it around 3:06) that will bypass Croatia. So, Croatia is bypassing BiH, and BiH is bypassing Croatia. For your information, the main connection between the BiH coast and the rest of BiH was through Croatia (you leave BiH, you enter Croatia, you leave Croatia and then you enter BiH again). And finally, if you wonder: Bosnia and Croatia are super friends and something like cousin/brother countries. So no drama here. :) Croatia is the main EU entry point for Bosnia and Herzegovina and on the other hand a significant portion of BH population are actually Croats, particularly in this part of the country where the bridge is being built.

Do you plan to make geopolitics of Italy? It's the only G8 country you never covered

The bridge is sufficiently high enough, there isn’t even an industrial harbor there in Bosnia, just some recreational stuff.

This analysis lack some cruical facts. 1. Neum bay is not deep enough to have port 2. If it was, bridge is high enough for most boats to come in 3. Population of Neum would NEVER accept port (90% of population lives on tourism income) 4. Country is called Bosnia and Hercegovina (Neum is Hercegovina)

By the look of it, Bosnia is legally landlocked. Their "access" to Adriatic is wrapped inside Croatia territorial waters (similar thing as Turkey and Greece). The building of bridge just make it clear who own the waters.

I am pretty sure that going from almost landlocked to fully landlocked is the least of Bosnia's national problems, given that a good chunk of the country wants secession in favor of Serbia.

soo... what's the problem with 55m? there are no cargo ships that get close to that. the tallest I could find is 38m and I think that also includes the part bellow the water line.

Know the area very well for 30 years. Neum would never have become a large maritime port.

Croatia, Bosnia Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia, Albania are incredibly SPECTACULAR countries everyone must visit!! Didn't go last year, but this year its a 35 day road trip through the Balkans! A must!

Note: the drone shot at 3:56 is not from BiH or Croatia, but from Prishtina, Kosovo. Source: I can see the house I lived in. :)

The bridge is a convince for Croats and as a person who has to travel through Bosnia to get to Dubrovnik, the travel time is just annoying for locals and tourism. Bosnia won't feel any disadvantage with the bridge since its design allowed ship passage to Neum.

5:46 - "Traffic [at the Croatia/Bosnia border checkpoints] is particularly congested during the high season when thousands of tourists headed for Dubrovnik spend hours queuing..." _[shows footage of a traffic jam in Pennsylvania]_

Tunnels: Exist That idea went over alot of peoples heads

By this logic poland, finland and the baltic states are all landlocked since there are bridges spanning the øresund

I’m bosnian, there is no cargo ships coming to neum the city on the Bosnian coast I see no problem them building a bridge there

Rich European tourists going to Croatia: "If only we can drive down to Dubrovnik without passing through that tiny strip of Bosnia & Herzegovina territory." Croatia: "Hold my bridge."

I live 20km away from Neum in the Croat part of Herzegovina. No one here gives a flying F about the bridge. Just Bosnian politicians desperately trying to divert attention from problems in their own part of the country. P.S. That was ALMOST a correct way to pronounce Pelješac :)

Croatia is like the Chile of Europe

Neum is actually a Croatian city

Nice video...But you havent said two things that is also essential 1. Neum is 100% Croatian town , all inhabitians is Croatians 2. During the 1990ties war for fredoom in Croatia and Bosnia Neum was under attack from Serbian army...Croatian forces defended town and push away the enemy...I was there at the time, didnt see any Bosniaks soldiers , and nobody ask me for a passport And for the end, why BiH dont give a free pass for Croatian citizens or tourist thru Neum?? There was a plan of highway passing to Dubrovnik , withot sttoping or exit in BiH teritory....it was much more cheapest way and there will be no bridge...

Regarding this video, I am going to say just three things: 1) Ethnic composition - Neum municipality 2013. . Total 4,960 (100,0%) Croats 4,543 (97,64%) Bosniaks 63 (1,397%) Serbs 21 (0,451%) 2) If there is ever going to be a port in Neum then most likely it will also be held by Croats since they make 98% of Neum's population! 3) People living in Neum are glad that Croatia is building a bridge to connect its country because most of them work, study, and have Croatian citizenship.

Today a man knocked on my door and asked for a small donation towards the local swimming pool. I gave him a glass of water. I love supporting the community.

What a beautiful landscapes! Hopefully, they can find an amicable solution. Greetings from Cali, Colombia.

The Adriatic sea looks so beautiful as well as those towns in the video

Everyone in the comments : Croatia blocked Bosnia from the sea. Bosnian : We don't care.

I've always wondered why they didn't build a bridge or a tunnel ever since I first saw the map of Croatia. I mean, it's just a few kilometers across. Glad finally they're building it.

Bolivia to Bosnia: you and I aren’t so different

Whats the problem? Last time I checked Ships could pass under bridges.

Bosnia is such an underrated place to visit, been there twice and I already want to go again. Greetings from Switzerland :)

Croatian guy here. Look the Pelješac Bridge project has no alternative. I'm not defending Croatian politicians, they are nepotistic, unskilled and often prone to corruption, but compared to Bosnian polticians, be they Bosniaks, Croats or Serbs, our guys are honest and hardworking people, Bosnian and Herzegovinian politicians represent probbably the most incompetent and corrupt rulling class in Europe, excluding places like Moldova, and since they insist on three different political stances, there is just no disscussion with them. If Bosnia and Herzegovina collapses at a certain point then that will make this entire project pointless, since Neum is populated almost exclusivley by Croats and is located in the Croat-mayjority part of B&H, so it would get annexed by Croatia, also before someone starts to rage I'm not calling for Bosnia to be dismembered, I'm just saying that that is a plausable reality for a country as dysfunctional as Bosnia. But, anyways ships will be able to pass below the bridge, eventough Neum isn't a large port, but connectig the exclaved territory of the old Republic of Ragusa with the rest of Croatia for us Croatians has no alternative.

There is no effective blockade here!!! The bridge will be high enough for ships to reach the Bosnian coast!

It's a bridge, not a dam. At 55metres, not many ships will be unable to pass under it. If Bosnia let Croatia have a corridor over BH to the south of Croatia, it wouldn't be needed. And what did that PRC Prime Minister say about Tofu construction?

How much coastline do you want? Croatia: yes

So.. Just tourism worries? I would've thought it was about importing and exporting using sea-routes, but looking a Neum they don't even have a port for tankerships to dock at! Man, Bosnia really wasting their opportunity..

And in this small "sea-part" of Bosnia and Herzegovina (Neum municipality) Croats are more than 97 % of population.

Great video! I’m sorry I didn’t watch it sooner. Keep up your much needed work Shirvan!

Shirvan: Makes a video Me: Oh cool new video Shrirvan: It's about Bosnia Me, a Bosniak: OMG Shirvan you didn't

Bosnia uses that coast only for hotels and houses with a nice view as much as I saw when I was there a few times.

"...for history always manages to get in the way of progress..." - should be "unresolved issues from history always manage to get in the way of progress...".

The scenes of the bridge in Mostar are magical.

“A bridge too far” hmmm where have I heard that before..,

Bosnia: Adriatic Sea is so beautiful, I wanna swim a bit. Croatia: *NO*

Nobody: Some Bosnian politicians: weh weh building a bridge will landlock Bosnia weh weh Croatia isn't playing fair weh weh

Shirvan: 8:45 "Whether this is true is unknown, no studies have been conducted on this issue" Also Shirvan: BoSnIa iS BeInG LaNdLoCkEd!

The comments are too tame, I was expecting it to be more entertaining.

Bosnia being upset by this is dumb. 1. The bridge has a max height of 55m and the tallest cargo ships are around 38m (including the section of hull that is underwater). 2. There are no major seaports (including Neum) on the Bosnian coast. 3. The area in question is too shallow for cargo shipping and hasn't been dredged. This is basically like telling your neighbor that they can't have a pool in their yard because your cat might drown... but you have never actually owned a cat.

So well produced. It's amazing what I've learnt watching this channel. Should be mandatory viewing for anyone interested in geo politics or political scientists.

The bridge looks high enough for shipping, so what's the problem?

Neum, the strip of land and all those parts in land are 90%+ Croatian either way, just some historical documents making it Bosnian. Neum in this specific case is 97.51% Croatian by population.

if their ships can pass under it, I don't see what's the issue

Great content brother!

For all the redditors in the comments Croatia is nowadays the most visited country in the world and Bosnia is extremely safe as well Low crime rates everything

I visit the area yearly and have many friends. Beautiful nature and great kiteboarding spot.

Thank you for all the hard work that goes into these videos so that others may become more more aware of the Worlds happenings. Cheers

"History always gets in the way of progress." 😂 What a summary.

Thanks from Croatia ❤️❤️❤️❤️

Implying BiH (Bosnia) is a functioning state and not just a bad joke

Please more videos on balkan politics! Ex Yugoslavia region is interesting

Love your channel content. Thank you

Once again, an extremely interesting description of a little known issue. Thanks so much for your research, presentation and effort

well, if the construction was a dam, maybe yes, they will be land-locked. But if it's passable underneath, what will be the problem?

it's really amazing knowing the geopolitical side of things. I saw one video about the same bridge praised about how massive the project is and it's significance in physically uniting a country and then this video.

Excellent work, thank you. Your productions are 5 stars and obviously getting noticed. Well done!

I live in the Dubrovnik region and I agree with what you said. Neum is a small town settled by croats as well. Area is not suitable for big cruise ships neither for the port, as you said Bosnia and Hercegovina uses croatian port Ploce. This is quite high standing bridge, so big ships can pass under. All that fuss comes because of cheap political points in very divided Bosnia & Hercegovina.

So Chile got a rival now huh ?? Both are competing for the "Coastline Stealer"

Love your vids!! Would also love it if you do one about the Philippines, especially that our country is struggling in the pandemic and the presidential elections will be held next year. Looking forward to more of your reports.

awsome as always

01:00 - It's bridge, not a sea wall!

That footage makes me depressed. i cant travel anywhere because of the lockdown.

What is stopping ships from going under the 55 metre high bridge??

hi Shirvan ☺️ may i respectfully suggest/request that when you use maps to illustrate your discussion (which is AWESOME for those of us far outside the region), could you also graphically highlight the locations of cities/regions when you refer to them in the voiceover? these explainers are highly educational for those of us in the West unfamiliar with the region and eager to learn more but less well acquainted with the geography, and labeling helps a lot. I'm so glad you've acquired sponsorship. i mean, not that i love commercials, but, good for you. it's one metric of your value to the community. 💛 p.s. your English usage & pronunciation are superior to most natives!

Fascinating video thank you lots

finally a video about my country!

Fun fact: In 1831, the Bosnian leader Husein Gradaščević led a rebellion against the Ottoman government, seeking autonomy for Bosnia.

How can a country be picturesque in almost all angle!! Please someone take me there. 😍

Your videos are very insightful!!! Thank you very much!

what kind of ship can’t fit under a 55m high bridge?

Bosnia only had that coastline because the Republic of Ragusa gave the Ottomans a small strip of land to prevent Ragusa from being invaded by the Republic of Venice by land

"For history always manages to get in the way of progress" Yes indeed...

Thank you for all your reports

the bridge over the Suez Canal in Egypt has a 70m clearance & it allows even the largest container ships in the world today a 55 m Clearance will put some limitations but it will allow most small to medium cargo ships to pass

Thank you for this video, I am from Serbian part of Bosnia. You are right, Serbs are indifferent about this issue. I live in northern part of the country, where majority of people in Bosnia live, and almost all overseas import comes from Croatian port of Rijeka, not Ploče. Rijeka is connected via highway with Zagreb, Banja Luka and Belgrade. My point is that this bridge will not change much for every day life in much of Bosnia.

Such a beautiful looking area!

Another great video

Population in Neum and Herzegovina is Croatian, they dont have anything against this project. Heck when i was in Neum i saw 4 croatian flags and our coat of arms on "bosnian" peninsula, i havent noticed any "bosnian"...you have a good pronaunciation of slavic names

Good, I support this shit. Nothing more annoying than having to cross two borders within 20 minutes. And everyone knows how friendly Balkan border police can be.

This bridge will not diminish anything for Bosnia

Very well explained, thank you.