Road workers start protest after meeting with PM

The representatives of road companies within the Nibens Group have started to block works on the construction of the northern stretch of Corridor 10. This came despite having agreed with Serbian Prime Minister Mirko Cvetkovic that the state representatives should on Wednesday attempt to reach an agreement with the banks on the solving of problems of those companies. Road workers start protest after meeting with PM After the meeting at the Serbian government, the journalists were told that Minister of Infrastructure and Energy Milutin Mrkonjic and Director of the Privatization Agency Vladislav Cvetkovic will confer with the largest creditors of the Nibens Group. Cvetkovic said that it was agreed that one should wait for the banks to concur on the solving of Nibens Group's problems as a whole, so as to unblock the company's accounts. The Independent Union of Road Workers of Serbia announced that the road workers of the companies within the Nibens Group will today block the works on the northern stretch of the Corridor 10, unless the state enables the solving of their problems. The representatives the five road companies requested that their respective bank accounts be unblocked, and that they be paid all outstanding salaries and be enabled to do their jobs. The accounts were blocked when Nibens Group owner Milo Djuraskovic ad seven managers from the companies that form the group were arrested in May on suspicion that they stole EUR 32mn from the Krusevac-based FAM company. On Tuesday, the Koridori Srbije (Corridors of Serbia) company warned that the construction of the highway on Corridor 10 is a priority project for the country, adding that blockages can jeopardize the announced deadlines for the opening of the remaining sections of the highway from Horgos to Novi Sad. "We believe no one has the right to prevent the realization of a project of national importance, the construction of which is financed from the state budget and from international loans, so at the end of the day, the works are paid by the citizens of Serbia themselves, which is why the realization of the project should be made possible at all costs," the statement delivered to Tanjug reads. The road workers' requests also include that the government should order the Privatization Agency to examine controversial privatizations. The meeting at the government HQ on Tuesday (Beta)

Road workers start protest after meeting with PM

After the meeting at the Serbian government, the journalists were told that Minister of Infrastructure and Energy Milutin Mrkonjic and Director of the Privatization Agency Vladislav Cvetković will confer with the largest creditors of the Nibens Group.

Cvetković said that it was agreed that one should wait for the banks to concur on the solving of Nibens Group's problems as a whole, so as to unblock the company's accounts.

The Independent Union of Road Workers of Serbia announced that the road workers of the companies within the Nibens Group will today block the works on the northern stretch of the Corridor 10, unless the state enables the solving of their problems.

The representatives the five road companies requested that their respective bank accounts be unblocked, and that they be paid all outstanding salaries and be enabled to do their jobs.

The accounts were blocked when Nibens Group owner Milo Đurašković ad seven managers from the companies that form the group were arrested in May on suspicion that they stole EUR 32mn from the Kruševac-based FAM company.

On Tuesday, the Koridori Srbije (Corridors of Serbia) company warned that the construction of the highway on Corridor 10 is a priority project for the country, adding that blockages can jeopardize the announced deadlines for the opening of the remaining sections of the highway from Horgoš to Novi Sad.

"We believe no one has the right to prevent the realization of a project of national importance, the construction of which is financed from the state budget and from international loans, so at the end of the day, the works are paid by the citizens of Serbia themselves, which is why the realization of the project should be made possible at all costs," the statement delivered to Tanjug reads.

The road workers' requests also include that the government should order the Privatization Agency to examine controversial privatizations.