Steam Power Plant "Nikola Tesla", ZGOP Novi Sad and "Kombinovani prevoz" got first licenses to use railways

- The Directorate for Railways has issued the first licenses for use of railway tracks, and work permits have been granted to Steam Power Plant "Nikola Tesla" (TENT), ZGOP Novi Sad and "Kombinovani prevoz" - the Media center of "Serbian Railways" announced.

- The beginning of work of these companies on Serbian railways depends on passing of the act for determination of the methodology for evaluation of elements that affect the amount of fee for use of railway infrastructure - said Slobodan Rosić, the Director of the Directorate for Railways.

- The preliminary version of that act has been finished - said he and expressed expectation that the Ministry of Infrastructure would forward it to the Government of Serbia for adoption, which would create conditions for "Serbian Railways" to establish mechanisms for rental and collecting of fees for routes.

- If the methodology is adopted soon, these operators can start business in about one year - said Rosić and explained that, according to the Law, the licenses can be issued only to registered juristic persons in Serbia, which can be owned or be a part of some foreign company.

- Issuing, that is, acknowledgment of licenses for foreign companies is possible, but not before bilateral agreements are signed with those countries, which is within the jurisdiction of the state - he pointed out.

Rosić pointed out that the idea of the state was not to replace "Serbian Railways" with private operators or let them take its role, but to make it possible for them to specialize in the specific segment of transportation, which was not carried out by national railways anywhere in the world.

- "Serbian Railways", as well as all other national railways, is the operator that offers broad spectrum of services, and that is why it can not be the best in specific segments of transportation - said Rosić and added that the aim was that private operators cover certain segments of transportation that can not and should not be covered by "Serbian Railways".