Belgrade bridge reconstruction in October

Infrastructure Minister Milutin Mrkonjic said that the reconstruction of Belgrade’s Gazela Bridge will begin in October. “As far as we are concerned, everything is ready. We are waiting for the European Bank to adopt an action plan for moving the Roma families living under the bridge and for transferring the approved funds,” he said, adding that the first phase of work will take place under the bridge, which will not affect traffic. Belgrade bridge reconstruction in October He told daily Vecernje Novosti that the decision on whether Serbia will participate in the privatization of the Bar port will be made in the coming two weeks, which is when the tender is expected to be announced. “In any case, Bar is closer than Constantza and Rijeka, and that would be a significant strategic move for our country. Besides Corridor 10, Serbia has interest in the construction of the so-called Bar Corridor, which includes the highways and railways of Montenegro,” Mrkonjic said. He said that the construction of Corridor 10 will not stop because of the economic crisis, and the plan is to finish all construction by the beginning of 2012. “Corridor 10 cannot be and will not be in the package of projects which will be stopped in order to save money. And Finance Minister Diana Dragutinovic recently said what I am saying all the time, and that is that the IMF negotiations will not affect the arrival of funds from the World Bank and European Bank for this project,” Mrkonjic said. He said that projects are being worked on currently for the remaining 260 kilometers of Corridor 10, tenders are being announced and expropriations are ongoing as well. “Many companies are interest in construction, for example, there have been 30 companies that have shown interest in the tender for the part of the highway leading towards Dimitrovgrad, which is about 8.5 kilometers long,” he said. Asked when the by-pass route around Belgrade will be completed, the Infrastructure Minister said that there are 20 kilometers left to finish. “For the part of the highway from Batajnica to Dobanovci, credit of EUR 115mn has already been approved. The projections and expropriations are being finished and a tender should be announced by the end of the year,” Mrkonjic said. Milutin Mrkonjic (FoNet archive)

Belgrade bridge reconstruction in October

He told daily Večernje Novosti that the decision on whether Serbia will participate in the privatization of the Bar port will be made in the coming two weeks, which is when the tender is expected to be announced.

“In any case, Bar is closer than Constantza and Rijeka, and that would be a significant strategic move for our country. Besides Corridor 10, Serbia has interest in the construction of the so-called Bar Corridor, which includes the highways and railways of Montenegro,” Mrkonjić said.

He said that the construction of Corridor 10 will not stop because of the economic crisis, and the plan is to finish all construction by the beginning of 2012.

“Corridor 10 cannot be and will not be in the package of projects which will be stopped in order to save money. And Finance Minister Diana Dragutinović recently said what I am saying all the time, and that is that the IMF negotiations will not affect the arrival of funds from the World Bank and European Bank for this project,” Mrkonjić said.

He said that projects are being worked on currently for the remaining 260 kilometers of Corridor 10, tenders are being announced and expropriations are ongoing as well.

“Many companies are interest in construction, for example, there have been 30 companies that have shown interest in the tender for the part of the highway leading towards Dimitrovgrad, which is about 8.5 kilometers long,” he said.

Asked when the by-pass route around Belgrade will be completed, the Infrastructure Minister said that there are 20 kilometers left to finish.

“For the part of the highway from Batajnica to Dobanovci, credit of EUR 115mn has already been approved. The projections and expropriations are being finished and a tender should be announced by the end of the year,” Mrkonjić said.