Serbia's Minister without portfolio in charge of European integration Jadranka Joksimovic stated yesterday that 18 strategic infrastructure projects worth €1.9 billion are in the preparation phase, including the construction of the motorway from Nis to Pristina.

At the third meeting of the National Investment Board, Joksimovic explained that the government intends to implement projects ensuring the most favourable financing conditions, by using EU grants, concessional loans from international financial institutions, funds from other development partners, as well as funds from the Serbian budget.

According to Joksimovic, a detailed analysis of the projects identified all the preparatory steps that we need to do in order for projects to be implemented effectively.

These projects include the construction of facilities for waste water treatment in Novi Sad, modernisation of the railway on Corridor 10 in several sections, a water treatment plant in Nis and more, she said.

The government has so far provided €166.2 million for projects from the Single review of priority infrastructure projects, and the conditions under which these projects are funded are very favourable, she confirmed.

Joksimovic, who is also the national IPA coordinator, said that the project of modernisation of the railway from Nis to the border with Macedonia, i.e., the section Nis-Brestovac 23 kilometres long, will be financed from the grant 75%, and the rest will be provided from the Serbian budget.

According to Joksimovic, the total value of the projects that Serbia will submit to the European Commission for funding this year amount to €281 million, of which €180 million will be non-refundable.

Source: Government/bakans.com