Transport Commissioner Bulc visited SEETO Secretariat

EU Transport Commissioner Violeta Bulc with the EU delegation, including Mr. Alain Baron from DG MOVE who is also a SEETO Co-chairman, paid an unofficial visit to the SEETO Secretariat in Belgrade. The EU Commissioner was greeted and welcomed by Mr. Dejan Lasica – SEETO General Manager, SEETO Steering Committee Chair lady Ms Tatjana Jovanovic and SEETO Secretariat staff. Csser Bulc was introduced to SEETO Staff, as well as given a brief introduction about the SEETO establishment throughout the years. Mr. Lasica also informed the Transport Commissioner about SEETO activities and their expected results, stating that further support from the EU is needed in the region and SEETO Cooperation.

49th SEETO Steering Committee Meeting held in Belgrade

On 27^th September, Belgrade, in Crowne Plaza Hotel the 49^th SEETO Steering Committee Meeting was held. The opening remarks and speech were given from SEETO Steering Committee Chairlady Ms. Tatjana Jovanovic, followed by Co-chair Mr. Baron and SEETO Secretariat General Manager Mr. Dejan Lasica. Regional Participants from SEETO countries including a representative from the European Commission’s DG NEAR Ms. Simecki and DG MOVE Mr. Baron (SEETO SC Co-Chair) participated in the meeting.

Commissioner Bulc in Montenegro and Serbia to promote regional transport cooperation

EU Commissioner for Transport Violeta Bulc is in Montenegro and Serbia today and tomorrow to encourage further cooperation and the modernisation of the transport sector, in line with the conclusion of the Western Balkans Summit held in Paris in July. Commissioner Bulc will have a series of meetings including with Mr Ivan Brajović, Minister of Transport and Maritime Affairs of Montenegro, Mr Edmond Haxhinasto, Minister of Transport and Infrastructure of Albania and Ms Zorana Mihajlović, Deputy Prime Minister of Serbia and Minister for Construction, Transport and Infrastructure.

4th ECOROADS test site visit – Strazevica Tunnel, Belgrade.

The 4^th test site visit of the Effective and Coordinated Roads Infrastructure Safety Operations (ECOROADS), was held in 27^th -28^th of October in the premises of PE ‘Roads of Serbia’ in Belgrade. Strazevica tunnel, recently opened for traffic and operating as a bidirectional tunnel until the second tube will be build was one out of five test sites chosen to be part of the Safety Inspections carried under ECOROADS. The general objective of the ECOROADS project is to overcome the barrier established by the formal interpretation of the two Directives 2008/96/EC (on road infrastructure safety management) and 2004/54/EC (on tunnels), that in practice do not foresee the same Road Safety Audits/Inspections to be performed on open roads and in tunnels.

SEETO – At International Rail Conference, Pristina.

15^th – 16^th September, Pristina, SEETO General Manager Mr. Dejan Lasica and Mr. Albert Kolgeci, SEETO Coordinator and Project Communication Officer, participated at the International Rail Conference, organised by the Ministry of Infrastructure and TrainKOS in Pristina.

Completion of Nis-Pristina-Merdare motorway by 2020

Belgrade, 6 Sept 2016 – Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure Zorana Mihajlovic announced today that the technical and project documentation for the motorway Nis-Pristina-Merdare will be completed in early 2017, while completion of construction works is planned by 2020.

Serbia committed to construction of regional transport infrastructure

Belgrade, 6 Sept 2016 – Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic met today with European Commissioner for Transport Violeta Bulc.
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. The Serbian Prime Minister 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.

The 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

Two Strategic Laws Adopted Prepared by BiH Ministry of Communications and Transport

BiH Council of Ministers adopted the Draft Law on Changes and Amendments to the Law on International and Inter-Entity Road Transport that had been prepared by BiH Ministry of Communications and Transport.

Funds provided for the Construction of Cazin Bypass

Administration of the Public Enterprise “Roads of FBiH” visited the Cazin Municipality, where they talked about the construction of the Cazin bypass. Funds in the amount of seven million EUR have already been provided for this project through the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. Project of construction of the Cazin bypass in the length of 7.5 kilometers worth seven million EUR is a part of broader investment program “Modernization of main roads in FBiH”, and its completion is planned for no later than December 31, 2019.

10 Million EUR for Modernization of the Brčko Port (BiH)

Despite the difficulties it is faced with, the only international port in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Brčko Port, managed to achieve good operating results in the first seven months of this year. Thanks to good hydrologic situation and the increase in business activities of permanent clients, in the period from January to July this year the employees of the port managed to transship 118-000 tons of different goods.

Completion of Corridor 10 through Serbia in late 2017 – Belgrade-Cacak highway to open next year.

The completion of Corridor 10, both southward and eastward, is expected by late 2017 and the highway to Cacak will also become available next year, announced Minister of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure Zorana Mihajlovic. She said that the more complex work remained to be done, such as the Grdelica Gorge, where certain sections would be completed much earlier, whereas the middle section, which is the hardest one to complete and yet crucial to the entire span, would be completed by the end of the next year.

Prnjavor-Doboj highway section opens

Part of the highway Banja Luka – Doboj, section Prnjavor – Doboj, has officially opened. President of Republika Srpska Milorad Dodik and Serbia's Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic cut the ribbon at the ceremony. Vucic pointed out that the construction of 36 kilometers is not a small task.

Air Serbia and Montenegro Airlines unveil codeshare agreement

Air Serbia, the national airline of the Republic of Serbia, and Montenegro Airlines, the flag carrier of the Republic of Montenegro, have signed a codeshare agreement that provides travellers with greater air connectivity when flying between Europe, the Middle East and North America.

Kosovo, Bulgaria reach new agreement on international road transport

The agreement was signed by Kosovo minister of Infrastructure, Lutfi Zharku and his Bulgarian counterpart Yvaylo Moskovski.

Turkey opens 'World's widest' suspension bridge linking Asia to Europe