EU Commissioner for Transport Violeta Bulc met today with Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic and Minister of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure Zorana Mihajlovic to talk about future cooperation and modernisation of transport sector in line with conclusions of the Summit on the Western Balkans held in July in Brussels.
Following the meeting, EU Commissioner Bulc said she and Serbian officials had exchanged views on EU and Serbia’s priorities and she took the opportunity to lay out EU’s focus regarding the joint implementation.
“Infrastructure is key to stability, peace and job creation,” Bulc said, speaking about the importance of this area for the economy of the region.
Speaking about EU’s commitment and mechanisms aimed at fostering the development of cross-border projects, she stressed that Serbia was an important element of the regional stability.
Bulc also announced new grants for the Western Balkans, reminding that apart from loans, the EU also granted non-refundable aid.
“I am convinced that together we can implement numerous projects,” Bulc said, adding that it is the right moment for implementation.
Priority: Nis-Pristina motorway
The statement released by the Prime Minister’s Office reads that Bulc stressed that transport was one of the most important areas of cooperation between the European Union and the Western Balkans, adding that the “Connectivity Agenda” is of great importance for overcoming the development gap and supporting stability and prosperity of the region, reads the statement from PM’s Office.
The statement also says that Bulc presented Prime Minister Vucic with new financing mechanisms to modernise the European transport networks, which include private investors, encouraging the Government of Serbia to apply for funding with new projects.
PM Vucic stressed the importance of implementation of transport projects for the development of Serbia, stressing the commitment to establish transport network cooperation in the entire region of the Western Balkans, reads the Government statement.
He singled out as a priority the motorway Nis-Merdare-Pristina-Tirana-Durres, as well as other projects agreed in the framework of the Berlin Process, expressing his gratitude to the European Commission for support in their implementation.
Serbian Prime Minister said that cooperation in the construction of a regional transport infrastructure is one of the ways in which Serbia demonstrates commitment to peace and stability in the region.
Nis – Merdare – Pristina motorway is a priority among our future projects and both the EU and the Western Balkans agree that it is necessary to construct it, Zorana Mihajlovic Minister of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure said following the meeting with EU Commissioner for Transport Violeta Bulc.
At the press conference in the Government of Serbia, she stressed that the drafting of project documents was financed by the Fund for the Western Balkans, and that implementation of the project would start as soon as the documents were completed that is in early 2017.
Speaking about the total value of current transport projects in Serbia, she said they amounted to EUR5.5 billion, including the Belgrade-Budapest railway.
Mihajlovic pointed out that the EU had granted Serbia EUR3 billion since 2000, adding that the large sum of money was invested in infrastructure which allowed the economic development of the country.
Inland waterways cooperation
EU Commissioner Violeta Bulc, together with Minister Mihajlovic, visited the Directorate for Inland Waterways, where they spoke about current and future projects in the area of inland waterway traffic.
Mihajlovic thanked for EU’s financial support in improving infrastructure and application of modern information technology in the area of inland waterway traffic, said the Ministry of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure.
Bulc and Mihajlovic said the area had great development potential, especially on the Danube river, and stressed that development of infrastructure created conditions to increase the volume of river traffic in Serbia, reads the statement.
Commissioner Bulc, together with Minister Mihajlovic, visited Civil Aviation Directorate and was presented with River Information Services which combine telecoms and information systems to support inland waterways and their connection to other means of transport.
Commissioner’s visit ended in Novi Sad, where she, Minister Mihajlovic, President of Provincial Government Igor Mirovic and mayor Milos Vucevic paid a visit to Zezelj bridge construction site.
On this occasion, she said the European Union encouraged all its partners in the region to invest in infrastructure, especially transport infrastructure, as, according to her, it was a way of connecting people, contributing to business and speeding up the development of any country in the region.
“I am happy that the EU can contribute to construction of a highly important spot for Novi Sad, Vojvodina and Serbia. The bridge is part of the European Corridor and is vital to connecting two parts of the EU, that is its central part with Bulgaria and beyond,” Violeta Bulc said.
President of Provincial Government Igor Mirovic also said he was convinced that Commissioner Bulc’s visit would make a major milestone and that by the end of 2017 the Zezelj bridge would have been completed.
