EIB gives EUR 3 million for Corridor X

The European Investment Bank (EIB) approved Wednesday in Luxembourg a EUR 3 million donation for the completion of the highway from Nis to the Bulgarian border, EIB Vice President Dario Scannapieco told Tanjug news agency.

- This is a very important project - Mr. Scannapieco said after signing an agreement on the donation with Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Bozidar Djelic at the EIB's headquarters.

Scannapieco expressed his great satisfaction with the cooperation with Serbia.

As Deputy PM Djelic said, the money will go to the company Koridori Srbije, which should soon undertake the construction and maintenance of all highways in the republic.

- Thanks to this two-year project, Koridori Srbije will be able to employ all human resources in order for the section to Dimitrovgrad to be completed on the European level," said Djelic.

Djelic stressed that "the donation will be used well."

Earlier on Wednesday, people at the EIB's headquarters voted for the formation of an investment platform of EUR 141 million for the development of small and medium-sized enterprises in the Western Balkans, which is going to be financed by the EIB, the European Commission, and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).

- That shows that the EIB, as Europe's key finance institution, certainly utilizes its resources for the benefit of the Western Balkans - Djelic concluded.