Republika Srpska announced yesterday a call for tenders to select a strategic partner for building hydro power stations on the Drina.

A strategic partner will be selected in agreement with Serbia, RS energy minister Slobodan Puhalac announced yesterday at a ministerial conference on climate change and energy, in Belgrade.

A final decision will be made by the parliament of RS, he said, adding that several facilities in total would be built on the Drina.

Puhalac expects the process to be over in a "relatively short period", reminding that power-generating facilities were last built 20 years ago, and that it takes at least six years to finish the new facilities.