Modernization and electrification of the railway line Nis-Dimitrovgrad on railway Corridor 10 is the priority for the Serbian Railways and the state interest, because it is the only non-electrified section on this significant international line. Construction of the line will be also important business venture for Serbian economy, and Czech companies are ready to start works on this section on Corridor 10 after those contracts are signed in spring this year.

This was concluded in the meeting held today in Belgrade by Director General of Serbian Railways Dragoljub Simonović with delegation of Czech railway company “AŽD” Praha, which was represented by René Šigut, regional manager for South East Europe.

Modernization and electrification of the railway line Nis-Dimitrovgrad on railway Corridor 10 is one of the most significant investment projects of Serbian Railways, and financing of works is planned from the Czech export bank loan in the amount of EUR 120 mil, based on the mutual international agreement between two countries.

Serbian Railways and “AŽD” Praha expressed interest to harmonize all of the open issues in the negotiations between Serbian and Czech party which is in mutual interest so that modernization of the railway line towards Nis can begin.

Opportunities for including the Czech company AŽD in other modernization projects of Serbian Railways were discussed for which also Czech partners showed great interest.
Director General of Serbian Railways Dragoljub Simonović emphasized that every party will have the same conditions and opportunities to participate in these projects and that Serbian Railways will try to work as effective as it is possible and that only the best and the most favorable parties will be contracted.

– In modernization projects of Serbian Railways everyone will have an opportunity to participate equally and the whole process and procedure will be totally transparent, said Simonović to Czech partners.

“AŽD” used this opportunity to remind that this Czech company is present in Serbia for 9 years and that, until now, they performed works regarding approx. 150 switching devices, and 13 level crossings of which 10 were grants of the Czech Government, via Czech Development Agency.