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TRIESTE WESTERN BALKAN 6 SUMMIT AND SIGNING OF TRANSPORT COMMUNITY TREATY – 12 July 2017
In the framework of the Western Balkans Process, Italy welcomed in Trieste on 12th July 2017 the Heads of Government, Foreign Ministers and the Ministers of Economy of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, as well as Austria, Croatia, France, Germany, Slovenia, United Kingdom and representatives of the European Union and the International Financial Institutions. Western Balkans Ministers of Transport also met together with Italian and EU Institutions.
The Trieste Summit offered the opportunity to build on the achievements of previous Summits - Berlin (28 August 2014), Vienna (27 August 2015), Paris (4 July 2016) – and to progress further in several areas of cooperation, in particular in the connectivity agenda, which is and will remain the core element of the process, and in the regional integration process.
The Summit warmly welcomed the signature by the European Union and five partners of the Western Balkans of the Transport Community Treaty. The Summit regretted that Bosnia and Herzegovina was unable to sign and invited Bosnia and Herzegovina to join as soon as possible. In this context, it noted the need for the Western Balkans partners to urgently agree on the seat of the secretariat and ensure – with the support of the European Commission – that it is operational by the time of the next Summit. The Treaty represents the beginning of new era of cooperation between the EU and the Western Balkans. The essence of the Transport Community is to bring the Western Balkans closer to the EU by creating a fully integrated transport network among the Western Balkans themselves as well as between the region and the EU, and to reach convergence with the transport operating standards and policies of the EU.
For more information go to:
https://ec.europa.eu/transport/themes/international/news/2017-07-12-western-balkans-summit-2017-delivering-region_en
Follow up - Bosnia and Herzegovina signs the Transport Community Treaty – 18 September 2017
Chairman of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina Denis Zvizdic and the EU Transport Commissioner Violeta Bulc signed a Transport Community Treaty between Bosnia and Herzegovina and the European Union in Brussels.
After several months of negotiations between governments and political parties within the state, BiH Council of Ministers on the session on 5th September in Sarajevo, unanimously accepted a Transport Community Treaty.
Out of a total of six projects at the EU summit in Trieste in July 2017, BiH received financing for 4 projects (3 road projects and 1 IWW).
For more information go to:
https://seenews.com/news/bosnia-joins-western-balkans-transport-community-treaty-govt-583906
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|  | EU pledges funds for new Balkan railway as part of transport projects – 13 July 2017 The summit of the six Western Balkans states and EU leaders produced concrete results in financing regional transport projects, most notably a railway link between the capitals of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Bulgaria. Skopje and Sofia, barely 200 kilometres away, have never been connected by train although the two countries share a long history and common border. The summit produced a Transport Community Treaty – a stepstone in connecting the region with the EU’s transport market
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 | Breakthrough made in Serbia's longest road tunnel – 31 July 2017
The company Koridori Srbije (Corridors of Serbia) announced that the breakthrough has been made in Manajle tunnel's right tube.
The 1,804- tunnel, a part of Corridor 10's southern leg in Serbia located on highway E75's Caricina Dolina-Vladicin Han section. Apart from being the longest road tunnel in Serbia, it also proved to be the most demanding to build.
Koridori Srbije said it invested great efforts, and thanks to the significant and constant support from the Ministry of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure, "the problems encountered during the works have been successfully overcome."
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 | Serbia completes Resnik-Vreoci railway section modernisation – 19 July 2017 The Serbian government has announced that Russian railway engineering company RZD International has completed the reconstruction of the Resnik-Vreoci section of the railway line that connects Serbia’s capital Belgrade to Montenegro’s port of Bar.
The reconstruction of the 35 km-long stretch represents the first of the two phases of a project for the overhaul of the 77 km-long Resnik-Valjevo railway section. The renovation of the entire Resnik-Valjevo section is planned to be completed by the middle of November. The works on the entire section are valued at USD 80 million, with Serbia’s share in the investment amounting to 15% of the total. |
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 | Montenegrin Minister of Transport, Mr. Osman Nurkovic visits Smokovac-Uvac-Matesevo route – 24 June 2017 Montenegrin Minister of Transport and Maritime Affairs Osman Nurkovic visited the route of the Smokovac-Uvac-Matesevo section of the Bar-Boljare highway together with Mr. Hei Shiqiang, executive director of CRBC for Montenegro.
Both Minister Nurkovic and Mr. Hei Shiqiang gave statements to the media while they were visiting the construction site of the Jabucki Krs tunnel. On this site, works are being carried out according to plan and 72% of the excavation and primary subgrade work has been completed. |
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 | Stabilization and Association Council meeting held in Brussels – 11 July 2017
The meeting of the Stabilization and Association Council between Bosnia and Herzegovina and the European Union held this week in Brussels, after which the EU High Representative Federica Mogherini and the Chairman of the BiH Council of Ministers Denis Zvizdić addressed the journalists. Ms Mogherini said that BiH is working on preparing the answers to the European Commission Questionnaire, and that everything is reduced to the reform of the economy and public administration.
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 | 27th SEETO Railway Working Group Meeting held in Podgorica – 29-30 June
2017 SEETO Railway and Intermodal Policy Working Group held its 27th meeting on June 29-30, in Podgorica, Montenegro. RWWG continued with the practice of separated topical session. In the first part of the meeting, session on Regulatory and Competition aspects took place.
During this session, Croatian Regulatory authority for network industries (HAKOM) presented "Conformity assessment of a service Facility Network Statement" with special focus on identification of port operators, template and joint network statements.
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 | First charger for electric vehicles on Serbian motorway introduced – 20 July 2017
The first charger for electric vehicles on a motorway in Serbia has been introduced on the toll station Preševo, on the border with the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, as the Ministry of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure of Serbia announced.
This is the first of five chargers which will be installed soon, the Ministry said, adding that all of them are the latest generation and provide also free Wi-Fi internet connection.
In the next few days, the second charger is expected to be installed on the toll station Šid, on the border with Croatia.
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 | Opening of Albanian Airlines project supported by Turkish Airlines – 11 July 2017
Albanian Prime Minister Mr. Edi Rama visited Turkish Airlines Headquarters in Istanbul. The Albanian Prime Minister attended a meeting with Mr. İlker Ayci, Chairman of the Board and the Executive Committee of Turkish Airlines.
Prime Minister Mr. Edi Rama was quoted: “We highly value this strategic partnership aiming to effectively unite the huge potential Albania has to grow through out the aviation sector and the global know how of Turkish Airlines. It certainly is treasured that Turkish Airlines, as being the airline that flies to more countries than any other, shares this know-how and experience attained during the past era of its growth.
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 | EU in Kosovo cancels 7.8 million EUR of projects in North Mitrovica – 21 July 2017
In July in Pristina, the EU Office in Kosovo/EU Special Representative had to cancel EUR 7.8 million of financial assistance to North Mitrovica.
The projects foresaw the construction of a cultural centre and of a new university building in North Mitrovica. Unfortunately, the local authorities failed to remove the existing illegal buildings and free the access to all working areas.
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 | Agreement on bilateral recognition of driving licenses between BiH and Macedonian counterparts – 13 September 2017
The minister of communications and transport of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) Ismir Jusko and the Macedonian Minister of Internal Affairs Oliver Spasovski, signed an agreement between the Council of Ministers of BiH and the Macedonian government about the mutual recognition and exchange of drivers’ licenses.
“We believe this step will significantly improve bilateral cooperation, taking into consideration the countries’ proximity and the fact that many citizens live or transit the countries”, said Spasovski.
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|  - 3.10.2017. - 52nd Steering Committee Meeting - Prishtina
- 5.10.2017. - 5th Transport Facilitation Working Group Meeting - Durres
- 9-11.10.2017. - 28th Railway Working Group Meeting - Bar
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