The project is worth 15 million kuna, with 40 per cent invested by Croatia and the rest coming from an International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) loan.
This was the last of four border crossings built within a project aimed at facilitating trade and traffic in Southeast Europe. Other crossings were built at Gunja, Slavonski Brod, and Slavonski Samac, the total investment amounting to USD11.5 million.
The project covered six countries signatories to a memorandum of understanding -- Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Romania, and Albania -- based on which Croatia signed a EUR14.8 million loan agreement with the IBRD in 2000.
The main objective of the project is to cut costs in trade and traffic, and prevent trafficking and corruption at border crossings.
The Maljevac-Velika Kladusa crossing was inaugurated by prime ministers Ivo Sanader of Croatia and Ahmet Hadzipasic of Bosnia's Croat-Muslim federation.
Sanader said that with this project Croatia demonstrated political will to cooperate with Bosnia and other neighbours.
"The political message is clear, cooperation has no alternative. Yes to cooperation in Southeast Europe, but without integration," he said, adding that due to their long border Croatia and Bosnia should significantly contribute to stability in the region.
He also said that the new border crossing should help develop economic cooperation, and that now emphasis should be placed on the exchange of goods and services rather than politics.
Sanader said Croatia would lead a parallel policy -- successfully complete EU entry negotiations as soon as possible and contribute with its neighbours to the stability of Southeast Europe because by joining the EU, Croatia would not separate itself from the region.
Sanader said Croatia and Bosnia were committed to cooperation, two friendly countries with the joint goal of joining Euro-Atlantic institutions. He added Croatia would help Bosnia in its integration.
Federal PM Hadzipasic said Bosnia's interest in the border crossing project was to suppress trafficking and corruption, facilitate border monitoring and save money.
The World Bank director for Croatia, Romania and Bulgaria, Anand Seth, said the promotion of trade and free traffic of goods was one of the foundations for joining the EU. He said the border crossing project would cut the time necessary to cross the border, cut the two states' expenditure by 65 per cent, Croatia's traffic costs by 10 million and Bosnia's by three million US dollars.
Seth welcomed Croatia's decision to take part in the Ploce port project, saying it would increase trade on the Bosnian side by 80 per cent. Last month Croatia signed a preliminary agreement with the World Bank on a EUR60-80 million loan for the project. The money will be invested in the building of two terminals in the southern Croatian port.