Representatives of Russian and Serbian Railways discussed on today’s meeting (August the 21st) in Serbian Railways headquarters further activities on project realization that are being financed by the loan of the Government of the Russian Federation. The Russian delegation was led by the vice president of Russian Railways Aleksandar Vladimirovič Saltanov. The meeting was attended also by the Russian Ambassador in Serbia Aleksandar Vasiljevič Konuzin.

Today´s meeting with “Serbian Railways” representatives and the meeting planed for tomorrow with Minister of Transport Milutin Mrkonjić should accelerate activities in order to finally start, after two years, with implementation of planed projects.

– We are approaching the goal and we are about to sign specific contracts. The Intergovernmental Agreement is defined by both sides and it only needs to be ratified by the Serbian Parliament. The main precondition for signing the first contract is defining the price for construction project and electrification of the second track of railway line Beograd-Pancevo, said Aleksandar Saltanov.

Assistant Minister for Transport Dejan Lasica pointed out that in two weeks time a positive report of the Republic Revision Commission for the preliminary design for the construction of the railway line Beograd-Pancevo is expected, and that the expropriation funds will be provided by the Serbian Government.

At the meeting was pointed out that the contracts on construction and electrification of the second track of railway line Beograd-Pancevo, on reconstruction of six sections on Corridor 10 and on the purchase of new DMUs will be signed by the end of the year.

Bearing in mind the complexity and the work volume on construction project of the railway line Valjevo-Loznica and on the reconstruction of the Serbian part of the railway line Beograd-Bar, specific contracts are being expected early next year.

Russian experts have emphasized their willingness to start working together with the experts from Serbian Railways on the railway line Valjevo-Loznica, using the latest equipment that hasn´t been used yet in this region.

Russian Ambassador Aleksandar Konuzin said that a positive atmosphere has been created for good international cooperation in the field of transport, energy and agriculture and that people have right to expect concrete results.