photo: Archive/Serbia begins modernization of Belgrade-Niš railway; Project worth 2.775 bil EUR
Contract for first tranche of the investment grant for construction of high-speed Belgrade-Niš railway, a total of 598 mil EUR, as a part of financial package for the railway Corridor X, was signed symbollically in the train between Belgrade Center and Resnik, on the section of the future high-speed rail.
Contract was signed by the Chief of European Investment’s Bank (EIB) Regional Office for Western Balkans Alessandro Bragonzi and the Minister of Construction Goran Vesić, in the presence of the President of Serbia Aleksandar Vučić and European Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Oliver Várhelyi.
After signing, Vučić thanked the EU and stated that 600 million is the highest non-returnable grant that Serbia received.
Contract covers the construction of Stalać – Đunis segment, 17.7 km long, on the third section of the future high speed railway, that will be constructed first, as the conceptual design is already completed and approved.
EU, as he stated, gave more than 420 mil EUR of aid for infrastructure projects in Serbia.
Project value for construction of Belgrade-Niš high speed railway is 2 billion and 775 million EUR, out of which 1.1 billion is a credit of European Investment Bank, 550 million EUR is a loan from European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the EU grant is 650 million EUR, and the remaining 552 million EUR will be financed by Serbia – said Vučić.
He stated that Belgrade-Niš high speed railway will be finished in 2027, and that the trains will run at speeds of 200 km/h.