MRKONJIĆ: Jobs for 65,000 workers

(Milutin Mrkonjić)

Domestic building companies have the chance to win the job on the tender that was announced on December 31st for construction of 110 km of semi-highway from Novi Sad to Subotica and "Y branch" from Subotica to Kelebija and Horgoš because these sections will be built from the money from the budget.

- That is what the Government wants and what it promised to Serbian building companies because up to 15,000 workers will be directly engaged in the works on that biggest building site in the last few decades, while minimum 50,000 people will take part in the preparation works. The project value of that job amounts to about 200m EUR, but the final price will be known once the tender applications are opened. The deadline for submission is February 1st, the works should start already on March 1st, and complete highway through Vojvodina will be finished by the end of the year - the Minister of Infrastructure of Serbia, Milutin Mrkonjić, told "Danas".

He also added that domestic building companies had more chances to get job on all tenders for the works that were financed from the budget, even when the terms they offered were identical to those offered by foreign companies.

In addition to the section of Corridor 10 that is being built from the state's money, the works on two lots of the bypass around Dimitrovgrad (road and bridges, while new tender will be announced for two tunnels) will also be started in the first quarter of this year, and they will be financed from the World Bank's loans. The lowest price for both jobs is offered by Austrian company "Alpine", and we will soon find out if that is enough for that company to become the contractor.