Port of Bar acquisition in partnership with Italians?

Infrastructure Minister Milutin Mrkonjic said that Italian companies were interested in a partnership with Serbian firms for buying the Montenegrin Bar port. He said that Serbian businesspeople, led by MK Komerc owner Miodrag Kostic, have two weeks to "harmonize", before starting negotiations with the Italians. Port of Bar acquisition in partnership with Italians? Mrkonjic said that Italy is promoting the new Corridor 11 in the European Union, which is expected to link Timisoara in Romania, through Serbia and Montenegro, with the Bari port in Italy. The corridor would include travel both on land and sea. “It is important for us for the European Union to proclaim it a European corridor, in order to compete for loans from international financial institutions,” Mrkonjic explained. Italian company Italferr, along with Serbia's CIP Traffic Institute are working on a feasibility study for the modernization of the Belgrade-Bar railway, which is very important for connecting to the Bar port. The document is expected to be finished in two to three months, and should show how much will have to be invested into the railway. Mrkonjic said that the construction Montenegro and Romania-bound highways, and the modernization of the Belgrade-Bar railway are of strategic importance to both countries, since Italy has the shortest route to the East through Serbia. The minister also stated that Italian companies were invited to participate in the tender for constructing the Belgrade-Boljare highway, which will be announced early next year. He said that several Italian companies have already registered for participating in the tender for building the by-pass route around Dimitrovgrad in eastern Serbia, on Corridor 10, adding that some are also interested in a project for building a highway to Timisoara.

Port of Bar acquisition in partnership with Italians?

Mrkonjić said that Italy is promoting the new Corridor 11 in the European Union, which is expected to link Timisoara in Romania, through Serbia and Montenegro, with the Bari port in Italy. The corridor would include travel both on land and sea.

“It is important for us for the European Union to proclaim it a European corridor, in order to compete for loans from international financial institutions,” Mrkonjić explained.

Italian company Italferr, along with Serbia's CIP Traffic Institute are working on a feasibility study for the modernization of the Belgrade-Bar railway, which is very important for connecting to the Bar port.

The document is expected to be finished in two to three months, and should show how much will have to be invested into the railway.

Mrkonjić said that the construction Montenegro and Romania-bound highways, and the modernization of the Belgrade-Bar railway are of strategic importance to both countries, since Italy has the shortest route to the East through Serbia.

The minister also stated that Italian companies were invited to participate in the tender for constructing the Belgrade-Boljare highway, which will be announced early next year.

He said that several Italian companies have already registered for participating in the tender for building the by-pass route around Dimitrovgrad in eastern Serbia, on Corridor 10, adding that some are also interested in a project for building a highway to Timisoara.