Mihajlovic in Podgorica: We will unite Serbia and Montenegro via highway and modernize the railway line

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Civil Engineering, Transport and Infrastructure of the Republic of Serbia, prof. Dr. Zorana Mihajlovic, told today in Podgorica that Serbia will continue building Corridor 11 to Požega and further to Boljare, and that by 2021 the whole Belgrade-Bar line will be reconstructed on the territory of Serbia.

"Infrastructure connectivity is a safe way for a better life for citizens, and every time, whether it's a highway, regional or merging two states, it's of great significance. We will work harder with Montenegro in the future, because it is not enough if each country takes into account only its infrastructure, "Mihajlovic told reporters after the meeting and signing of the Memorandum of understanding and cooperation on realization of infrastructure projects between the government of Serbia and Montenegro, with the Minister of Transport and Maritime Affairs of Montenegro, Osman Nurkovic.

"Based on this Memorandum, Serbia and Montenegro will be able to define projects that can work together in the field of infrastructure," said Mihajlovic.

Speaking of a highway on Corridor 11, which will connect Serbia and Montenegro, Mihajlovic said that a joint commission would be set up to determine the point of merging the route through Serbia and route through Montenegro.

"There is no need for anyone to doubt Serbia's readiness to build this highway. By the end of this year, we will finish 103 kilometers from Obrenovac to Preljina, in March we will begin work on Preljina-Požega, and next year I hope we will have the project documentation and the opportunity to start talking about the commercial contract for the last part from Požega to Boljare, and for about two years to start work, "Mihajlovic said.

The Deputy Prime Minister said that after 30 years, Serbia has reconstructed the first section of the railway line, from Resnik to Valjevo, in the length of 77.6 kilometers, and that this year we are working on project documentation for the continuation of the reconstruction on the part of Valjevo to the border with Montenegro.

"Next year, we expect the continuation of works on the reconstruction of the railway line, which could be completed by the end of 2020 or beginning of 2021. However, it is important that we also work with the reconstruction of the railway to eliminate the so-called non-physical barriers, among other things through the establishment of common border crossings, which we will have with Montenegro in Bijelo Polje because it is unacceptable that freight trains are eight or more hours at the border crossing " she said.

Minister Nurkovic said that Montenegro has so far reconstructed more than 40 percent of the railway line on its territory and provided new 70 million euros of credits and grants to be invested in the resumption of reconstruction. "Our goal is to have a much better quality rail link for three years and better transport between Serbia and Montenegro," said Nurkovic.

He added that at the meeting he met Serbian Deputy Prime Minister with current works on the Boljare-Bar highway and plans to continue the construction of the road Corridor 11 through Montenegro. "We took a good pace, the most important thing is that the works are performed well, and our goal is to connect the car roads we are building at the border with Boljare," Nurkovic said.

He added that with Vice-President Mihajlovic, among other things, he discussed the joint activities of the two countries on the suppression of gray economy in road transport, the use of Serbia's experience with the concession for "Nikola Tesla" Airport for the development of the airport in Montenegro, as well as on relations between Montenegro Erlajnza "And Serbia and Montenegro Flight Controls (SMATSA), for which a special commission will be formed.

                   PR Service of the Ministry of Transport and Maritime Affairs