Belgrade could be soon connected to Bar by highway, investment worth 3.5 billion EUR

Four groups that passed prequalification have the deadline by September 15, 2006, to deliver final bids on tender for concession for completion of highway from Horgoš to Požega.

The most important European companies joined this race for a big job. The Government of Serbia should sign the concession contract with the most favorable bidder in December, which mans that the works could start in Spring. The deadline for completion of work is year 2012. According to the estimates, the concessionaire would have to invest 759m EUR in this project.

(First to Požege, then to Bar)

That concession encompasses construction of the highway section Belgrade - south Adriatic. As it was already announced by Velimir Ilić, Minister of Capital Investments, the negotiations between Serbia and Montenegro about construction of highway that will connect Belgrade and Bar are underway. The border point should be determined, i.e. the place that will be the meeting point for road built by Serbia on one side and the road built by Montenegro on the other side.

The only thing that is known in Serbia is the section that ends in Požega, whereas it is not decided yet if the road will go across Zlatibor mountain, Pešter or some other way.

According to the general project, the full profile of the highway from Belgrade to Bar is planned. The venture is serious and the price is too high - about 3.5 billion EUR. Although the road through Serbia is longer, the section through Montenegro is more expensive. Bottomline: Serbia - about 1.5 billion EUR, Montenegro - nearly 2 billion EUR.