“Since the establishment of South East Europe Transport Observatory (SEETO), in 2004, EUR 13.2 Billion have been allocated to investments in the comprehensive network of the region which includes Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, FYR Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Kosovo.
EUR 9.2 Billion were allocated in this period for the implementation of over 300 infrastructure projects. 83% of this amount has been allocated to road infrastructure and only 10% (EUR 920 Million) was available for railway transport projects”, declared Nedim Begovic, Regional Railway Expert – South East Europe Transport Observatory – SEETO, during the Railway Days Summit “Greener and more efficient railway transport in WBSA”, organised by Club Feroviar and the Romanian Railway Industry Association (AIF) in October 2013 in Bucharest.
“At the moment, there is a series of transport projects under development that amount to EUR 4 Billion. However, in 2013 we managed to obtain an additional financing worth EUR 1.2 Billion. 90% of the amount could be accessed for development of railway transport projects”, added Begovic.
“Over the next five years, the SEETO countries will need at least EUR 8.2 Billion for the implementation of priority infrastructure projects. 11 projects are railway infrastructure projects and the sum necessary for their development is estimated at EUR 2.9 Billion”, concluded the SEETO representative.
The railway networks of the SEETO countries urgently need financing and to direct all the available resources to a better development of the railway transport and its connection to the infrastructure of TEN-T networks. Until 2012, the highest investments in the railway transport infrastructure were registered in Croatia with EUR 427 Million, the second position being held by the investments registered in Bosnia and Herzegovina reaching EUR 157 Million. Nevertheless, the amounts are not enough for the current needs of the railway networks in these states.
Thus, we may say that the investments in the railway infrastructure of the Western Balkan countries were insufficient, generating a descending diagram in the evolution of the railway transport competitiveness in these states compared to the remaining European states, either EU members or not. However, the transfer of investments to the railway system and the increase of traffic volumes could revitalise the railway networks of those states. In addition, a better collaboration between the regional railway networks would also increase the competitiveness of the railway infrastructure.
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