Construction, Transport And Infrastructure

MINISTRY OF CONSTRUCTION TRANSPORT AND INFRASTRUCTURE

CONSTRUCTION, TRANSPORT AND INFRASTRUCTURE 2021

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CONSTRUCTION, TRANSPORT AND INFRASTRUCTURE 2021

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CONSTRUCTION, TRANSPORT AND INFRASTRUCTURE 2021

CONTENTS

FOR 06 UNSTOPPABLE GOOD

OF EVERY 22 PROUD METRE OF ROADWAYS

BEAT THE 10 BUILDERS VIRUS

BEACON OF THE 23 ROADWORKS INDUSTRY

COMMENT

TOMISLAV MOMIROVIĆ, MINISTER OF CONSTRUCTION, TRANSPORT AND INFRASTRUCTURE

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PEOPLE FORM THE HEART OF THIS COMPANY

DENIS MILENOVIĆ, BRANCH DIRECTOR AT PUT INŽENJERING

STOJAN RANGELOV, DIRECTOR OF PUTEVI IVANJICA

NENAD TOMIĆ, DIRECTOR OF THE HIGHWAY INSTITUTE

WE HAVE BOTH 26 VISION AND IMPLEMENTATION

VELJKO KOVACEVIĆ, ASSISTANT MINISTER IN CHARGE OF WATER TRANSPORT & NAVIGATION SAFETY

REVIVED BY TRANSFORMATION 28 PORTS 36 STRONG ECONOMY IN THE TIME OF PANDEMICS VUK PEROVIĆ, DIRECTOR OF THE PORT GOVERNANCE AGENCY

NIKOLA MALBAŠA, GENERAL MANAGER OF CONSTRUCTION COMPANY JADRAN

CONSTRUCTION 29 PORT EXPERTS BUILDINGS 40 GREEN FOR GREEN LIVES UNVEILING THE NETWORK OF 32 REPUBLIC OF SERBIA’S 42 COOPERATION AND NEW SPATIAL PLAN DEVELOPMENT EHTING

ĐORĐE MILIĆ, ASSISTANT MINISTER FOR SPATIAL PLANNING AND URBANISM

COMPANY FOR THE 34 NEW MILLENNIUM HIGH STANDARDS FIRST & FOREMOST

MILLENNIUM TEAM DOO

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ANITA DIMOSKI, ACTING ASSISTANT MINISTER FOR RAILWAYS & INTERMODAL TRANSPORT

CLEAN 48 DRIVERLESS, AND EQUITABLE FUTURE OF TRANSPORTATION

BEGINNING OF A NEW 20 THE JOURNEY FOR BELGRADE AIRPORT

IS A HUGE 50 SERBIA CONSTRUCTION SITEE

FRANÇOIS BERISOT, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, BELGRADE AIRPORT

ART DIRECTOR Branislav Ninković b.ninkovic@aim.rs

PROJECT MANAGERS Biljana Dević b.devic@aim.rs Vesna Vukajlović v.vukajlovic@aim.rs Mihailo Čučković m.cuckovic@aim.rs

PHOTOS Zoran Petrović

OFFICE MANAGER Svetlana Petrović s.petrovic@aim.rs

COPY EDITOR Mark Pullen mrpeditorial@mail.com

EDITORIAL MANAGER Neda Lukić n.lukic@aim.rs

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MORE EFFICIENT, 46 FASTER AND SIMPLER PROCEDURES ALEKSANDRA DAMJANOVIĆ, STATE SECRETARY

CORRIDORS ARE KEY TO REVIVING PASSENGER AND CARGO TRAFFIC

EDITOR IN CHIEF Ana Novčić a.novcic@aim.rs a.novcic@cordmagazine.com

BILJANA VUKSANOVIĆ, SECRETARY OF STATE AT THE MINISTRY OF CONSTRUCTION, TRANSPORT AND INFRASTRUCTURE

NEWS

FINANCE Dragana Skrobonja finance@aim.rs GENERAL MANAGER Maja Vidaković m.vidakovic@aim.rs PUBLISHER Ivan Novčić i.novcic@aim.rs DIRECTOR Ana Novčić

a.novcic@aim.rs a.novcic@cordmagazine.com PRINTING Rotografika d.o.o.

Segedinski put 72, Subotica CONSTRUCTION, TRANSPORT AND INFRASTRUCTURE 2021 Published by: alliance international media Prote Mateje 52, 11111 Belgrade 17, PAK 126909, Serbia

Phone: +(381 11) 2450 508 Fascimile: +(381 11) 2450 122 E-mail: office@aim.rs; office@cordmagazine.com www.aim.rs; www.cordmagazine.com No 26 ISSN: 2560-4465 All rights reserved alliance international media 2021 The views expressed in this publication are those

of the presenter; they do not necessary reflect the view of publications published by alliance international media THIS PUBLICATION IS FREE OF CHARGE

CONSTRUCTION, TRANSPORT AND INFRASTRUCTURE 2021

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CONSTRUCTION, TRANSPORT AND INFRASTRUCTURE 2021

COMMENT

Unstoppable

FOR GOOD Unlike many other sectors, which were crippled by the pandemic, the construction sector proved unstoppable, including when it comes to major infrastructure works on transport corridors, due to the dedication of workers, good organisation and the interest of investors in respecting deadlines, with the exceptions of minor challenges. Apart from contributing strongly to GDP growth, the works being implemented on major roads and railway lines along trans-European corridors are also paving the way to future progress.

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erbia is one of the countries that has a key position on the map of transEuropean transport corridors and is the only non-EU members country – besides Switzerland and Norway – to be included as part of the so-called network of European Rail Freight Corridors. While this was an underexploited privilege for a long time, the tremendous work put into this large endeavour is now bearing fruit. Serbia is increasingly approaching its ultimate goal of full inclusion in the trade flows of Europe.

This will, in turn, bring more investments and underpin regional development. This is important to underline today, when many believe that Serbia could benefit from the trend of global value chains looking to relocate their operations closer to home. Good infrastructure and ease of transportation will be of the utmost importance in decision making.

Serbia has understood well from the very start that the story doesn’t end with the completion of Corridor X, but rather every development story has to take into account the bigger picture that encompasses the development of transport infrastructure both within the country and throughout the Western Balkan region.

Indeed, as we have witnessed, with better roads, and better infrastructure in general, the basic preconditions have been set for the arrival of major investments, not only in Belgrade or Novi Sad, but also in smaller cities like Pirot, Leskovac, Kruševac, Kraljevo and others.

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Massive works, such as those on major road and rail corridors, take a long time, but also bare fruit over the long term. Serbia will soon be ready for its full inclusion in European trade flows, which will bring more investments and underpin regional development The Moravian Corridor, the Fruška Gora Corridor, the highway connecting Serbia with Bosnia-Herzegovina, the planned Vožd Karađorđe Highway, as well as numerous works on the reconstruction of regional roads, are also either in the pipeline or envisaged. All these projects will eventually lead to the full utilisation of the country’s transit capacity.

And, more importantly, they will establish the framework for economic growth in the future.

Roads are indeed only one part of the story. A well-developed railway network, modern ports and intermodal terminals are also needed if Serbia is to enable its economy to produce and export efficiently.

The most important project is undoubtedly the reconstruction of the aforementioned railway branch of Corridor X, extending from

the Hungarian border all the way to the border with North Macedonia. However, there are also other important railway routes, such as those from Niš to Zaječar, Bor and Prahovo, which are important from the aspect of the further development of industry. And important progress has also been achieved here, despite the pandemic.

Furthermore, Serbia’s real estate sector also performed well in 2020. According to the insights of the Ministry of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure, the construction of residential and commercial properties is also experiencing an upward trend. It is therefore safe to say that foreign investors are demonstrating their expectation that Serbia will continue to represent an attractive market after the pandemic has abated.

Gradient d.o.o., Belgrade Address: Vuka Vrčevića bb Tel: +381 11 3295 811 | Fax: +381 11 3295 814 office@gradient.rs | www.gradient.rs

CONSTRUCTION, TRANSPORT AND INFRASTRUCTURE 2021

GRADIENT – YOUR PARTNER FOR CONCRETE Gradient is a renowned concrete producer and presents on the market since 2008. It participated in a large number of big infrastructural and residential projects but also in smaller projects as well, in Belgrade and all around Serbia.

The company’s main activities are: Production and distribution of fresh concrete Providing services of transport and pumping of concrete, Production and transport of natural river aggregates, a mixture of crushed stone river aggregate 0-31mm with an annual capacity of 700.000 t.

Gradient is very experienced in the production of high quality and most versatile types of concrete (compressive strength of up to 100 MPa) and owns a well-equipped laboratory which is under the patronage of the Institute for Testing Materials of Serbia (IMS) for many years.

We offer services of transport and pumping of concrete 00-24h.

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CONSTRUCTION, TRANSPORT AND INFRASTRUCTURE 2021

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CONSTRUCTION, TRANSPORT AND INFRASTRUCTURE 2021

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CONSTRUCTION, TRANSPORT AND INFRASTRUCTURE 2021

INTERVIEW

TOMISLAV MOMIROVIĆ, MINISTER OF CONSTRUCTION, TRANSPORT AND INFRASTRUCTURE

Builders

BEAT THE VIRUS I believe the construction sector will prove decisive in ensuring good GDP results at the end of this year, because it's working wonderfully even under these conditions. I'm proud of the implementation of current projects, from the Belgrade airport, where VINCI is investing more than 700 million euros in its expansion, to the launch of the mass project to construct and renovate communal infrastructure and the start of construction of the metro rail system.

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I’m convinced that Serbia will emerge from this crisis stronger and more prepared for all future challenges,” says Construction, Transport and Infrastructure Minister Tomislav Momirović. Work is continuing unabated in the construction sector, despite the pandemic, and there’s no doubt that this sector will represent one of the drivers of GDP growth. In addition to major works that have already started, the launch of construction of the Belgrade metro rail system, which has been the dream of every construction minister for decades, has been announced for the end of 2021. “The Ministry of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure will provide all the essential assistance needed to ensure the unhindered implementation of each segment of the Belgrade Metro, which is one of the most complex infrastructure projects in Serbia and the region,” says Minister Momirović, who expects works to commence towards the end of this year.

Until then, plenty of hard work will be underway on many construction sites and, judging by the Minister’s announcements, there will be no idling throughout the remainder of the year.

How’s the situation on the major construction sites in Serbia today, and will the situation be any easier in 2021, considering the prolonged threat of COVID-19?

The situation on the largest infrastructure projects in Serbia, as well as the smaller

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CONSTRUCTION, TRANSPORT AND INFRASTRUCTURE 2021

PRIORITIES

PROGRESS

EMPLOYMENT

The priorities for this year are the completion of the high-speed railway to Novi Sad, the largest part of the Belgrade Bypass and the highway to Požega

Serbia is a country of cranes, and the upward trend has continued when it comes to the construction of residential and business space

From engineers to tilers, you'll struggle to find a person linked to construction in Serbia who's currently without a job

ones, is more than satisfactory, and I’m very proud of the fact that their implementation has not stopped for a single day, despite great challenges. It is difficult to predict what 2021 will be like, because we have yet to declare a final victory against the virus, but I’m sure of one thing – works will not be interrupted, because we promised that to the citizens of Serbia and because we must create a more beautiful and modern state.

According to the analysis of your Ministry, how has the construction sector traversed the crisis to date, when it comes to the implementation of works and the number of employed people?

The implementation of works is at a very high level, as are plans for some new projects. Construction in Serbia is experiencing a boom and I don’t think anyone’s currently unemployed in that sector. From engineers to tilers, you’ll struggle to find a person linked to construction in Serbia who’s currently without a job. We haven’t recorded departures of foreign investors, the entire sector is very optimistic and, with the launch of massive infrastructure projects, I think the construction sector will prove decisive in ensuring good GDP results at the end of this year.

Which of the government’s measures from the assistance packages to date have been the most important for the departments that you head?

Alongside the two assistance packages for citizens and enterprises last year, the Government of Serbia has decided, due to the continuation of the crisis caused by the pandemic, to distribute a new assistance package this year. The new package of measures includes, among other things, the payment of three times half the minimum salary for micro, small, medium-sized and large enterprises. In the transport department, we have earmarked 600 euros of assistance per bus for the bus/coach transport

The Belgrade metro is a dream that has been dreamt for generations. We have an incredible honour, but also the responsibility to start works during our mandate, and I’m sure that everyone – from the City of Belgrade, the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure – will give their all during implementation

sector. Generally speaking, the construction department is working wonderfully even under these conditions and I’m proud of the implementation of projects, from the project to expand the Belgrade airport, where VINCI is investing more than 700 million euros, to the launch of the mass project to construct and renovate communal infrastructure.

If we were to compile a calendar of the most important objectives when it comes to the building of road corridors, what would it look like?

The priorities for this year are more than clear: completion of the high-speed railway to Novi Sad, the largest part of 11

CONSTRUCTION, TRANSPORT AND INFRASTRUCTURE 2021

prepared for all future challenges.

The developed countries of Western Europe are increasingly deciding to up the prices of road tolls for vehicles that emit more exhaust fumes. Is your Ministry considering such a measure?

The price of road tolls in Serbia is determined on the basis of the amount of kilometres travelled and that will remain the case. I’m clear on the “ecological” side of this issue and I believe we all want Serbia to be cleaner, but economic conditions, the level of social development and the state of the economy don’t allow the introduction of similar measures for the time being.

the Belgrade Bypass and the highway to Požega. Alongside these three projects, we have clearly charted objectives for each of the large projects and are in constant control and communication with contractors, supervisors, local governments, to ensure there are no delays.

We’ve heard that there’s hope that the railway to Novi Sad will be completed by the end of 2021. What about the rest of this section in Serbia? How are plans on the Hungarian side?

Implementation of the other part of the high-speed railway project, from Novi Sad to Subotica, will be launched next year.

Our Chinese partners have given us assurances and I’m convinced, on the basis of our positive experiences to date, that they will complete the work within the deadlines set.

When it comes to our Hungarian partners, the Chinese Eximbank has signed an agreement regarding the financing of their share, and there are thus no financial obstacles to investment and the project’s realisation.

How has COVID-19 impacted on revenues from road, rail and water transport?

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It is difficult to predict what 2021 will be like, because we have yet to declare a final victory against the virus, but I’m sure of one thing – works will not be interrupted, because we promised that to the citizens of Serbia and because we must create a more beautiful and modern state What measures are available for the ministry to respond in each of these cases?

This crisis caused by the pandemic has hit the whole world and the transport sector is experiencing a major crisis lobally. The state has set aside for all companies in Serbia, as well as for citizens, financial assistance the likes of which even developed European countries weren’t able to provide for their companies. We are carefully monitoring the development of the crisis, the situation with vaccination and global movements of capital, and I’m convinced Serbia will emerge from this crisis stronger and more

The construction of office space was in full swing in the previous period. What is the situation like in this sector now, and what does that indicate when it comes to foreign investments in this area?

Serbia is a country of cranes, and the upward trend has continued when it comes to the construction of residential and business space.

We have witnessed that foreign investors haven’t withdrawn, but rather have continued their operations, believing in the future of the Serbian market and its capacities.

One major job that has yet to be developed is the construction of a metro rail system in Belgrade. What is it realistic to expect on this front in 2021?

We have an incredible honour, but also the responsibility to start works during our mandate, and I’m sure that everyone – from the City of Belgrade, the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure – will give their all during implementation. The Belgrade metro is a dream that has been dreamt for generations. The Ministry of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure will provide all the essential assistance needed to ensure the unhindered implementation of each segment of the Belgrade Metro, which is one of the most complex infrastructure projects in Serbia and the region. Construction will commence at the end of this year on Makiško polje, or in November, and we’ll start constructing the first line very soon after that, and after that, in 2022, we’ll start constructing the second line.

CONSTRUCTION, TRANSPORT AND INFRASTRUCTURE 2021

DENIS MILENOVIĆ, BRANCH DIRECTOR AT PUT INŽENJERING

INTERVIEW

People Form The Heart Of

THIS COMPANY

Put Inženjering emerged from its beginnings as a small company specialising in the transport of goods, while its core business was the construction of roads. Within the company today are several sectors: production of crushed stone and ready mix concrete, ground works, hydro construction and precast concrete construction as a small company specialising in the transport of goods. The core activity was initially the construction of roads, hence the name of the company [Road Engineering]. The company’s development journey has been long and difficult, but always with a clear goal. There are several sectors in the company today: production of crushed stone and ready mix concrete, ground works, hydro construction and precast concrete construction. The construction sector, under the MOBECO brand, represents our greatest success, while our three production plants – in Niš, Nova Pazova and Krško (Slovenia) – make us the absolute leader in the region, with annual production of 300,000 - 400,000 sqm.

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e are proud of the launching a new line for the production of double walls and Omnia ceilings for residential and commercial buildings. Production on this line is planned to start in the first half of this year at our Nova Pazova plant - announces Put Inženjering Branch Director Denis Milenović, speaking in this interview for CorD Magazine.

When you celebrate 30 years of your company’s existence next year, what will you be particularly proud of, apart from your position as a market leader?

Alongside our state-of-the-art technology for the production of prefabricated concrete elements, the latest equipment, machinery, vehicles and tools, the number of completed projects and the years that we’ve been present on the market, we will be most proud of our team of people, who form the heart of Put inženjering as a company.

Put Inženjering emerged from its beginnings

It is very important to monitor technological achievements and market demands in your area of business. Is that actually why you created your prefabrication sector?

The advantage of prefabricated constructions, apart from fast construction, is in the use of high-performance materials and incomparably better finishings The prefabrication sector was created more than 10 years ago, with the start of the new industrialisation of the country, when a need for that appeared on the Serbian market.

Foreign investors most often required new, more modern production buildings that had to be built in a short period. The advantage of prefabricated constructions, apart from fast construction, is in the use of high-performance materials and incomparably better finishings,

because all production processes take place in the factory, under strictly controlled conditions.

Our company works according to EU standards, so our concrete elements are installed in many EU member states, such as Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, Bulgaria, Sweden etc.

What specifically is meant by ‘a high degree of automation’ on the new line of double walls and Omnia ceilings? Whose technology have you implemented and is this the future of construction?

The complete process of manufacturing walls and ceilings is carried out automatically, while the human role is more like that of a supervisor, as well as an executor of some operations that machines or robots cannot perform. Heavy physical labour, as well as the possibility of human error, has been reduced to a minimum. The daily production capacity is far greater than in manual production processes.

Alongside production, the software independently creates a plan for production, transport and installation works, while production data itself is obtained from the BIM project. Various inserts, such as electrical equipment, windows, etc., are incorporated at the factory.

We’ve implemented German technology that represents the very peak of progress in this segment of the industry. Automated lines have been used around the world for 15-20 years and have improved massively since then. This technology was not previously applied in our country due to the high cost of implementation and the relatively low costs of labour, but we are currently facing the biggest problem in the form of an insufficiently qualified workforce, so this is a logical advance in the development of construction.

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www.putinzenjering.com 14

CONSTRUCTION, TRANSPORT AND INFRASTRUCTURE 2021

Niš / Ruzmarina 25, Donja Vrežina, 18103 Niš, Serbia

Nova Pazova / Prva centralna radna 3, 22330 Nova Pazova, Serbia

Krško / Velika vas pri Krškem, 8273 Leskovec pri Krškem

Telephone/Fax: +381 18 215 355 +381 18 576 600 +381 18 575 574

Telephone/Fax: +381 22 215 22 25 +381 22 215 22 26 +381 22 215 22 27

Telephone/Fax: +386 8 20 10 375 +386 8 20 10 376

office@putinzenjering.com

mobeco@putinzenjering.com

office@mobeco.si

The largest precast company in Serbia and Slovenia We have the most optimal solution for every investor All in one place: Design | Production | Transport | Assembly Reference: Nestle Lidl Milšped CTP Delta Agrar

Al dahra Henkel Boysen Sport vision Yaskawa

Kaufland Lesnina Zumtobel Kuehne Nagel Yura…

Three decades on the market.

We are building across the region!

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CONSTRUCTION, TRANSPORT AND INFRASTRUCTURE 2021

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CONSTRUCTION, TRANSPORT AND INFRASTRUCTURE 2021

INTERVIEW

ANITA DIMOSKI, ACTING ASSISTANT MINISTER FOR RAILWAYS & INTERMODAL TRANSPORT

Corridors Are Key To Reviving

PASSENGER AND CARGO TRAFFIC

Due to the nature of investment in the railway sector, it is necessary to have patience in order to see the effects of the implemented reform process. However, there's no doubt that railway corridors are key to the reviving of passenger and cargo traffic, and economic development generally.

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erbia is one of the countries that has a key position on the map of trans-European transport corridors. And that’s precisely why the Government of the Republic of Serbia has defined its main priorities as being the development of the main transport routes, encompassing road, water and rail.

The backbone of the railway network in Serbia is certainly Corridor X – one of 18

the Pan-European Railway Corridors that was defined in Helsinki in 1997. In regard to this corridor, the first strategic goal of the Republic of Serbia is to establish high-quality and interoperable railway infrastructure with high-performance on the railway lines that comprise Corridor X. The total value of funds secured for the implementation of projects on these lines exceeds 2.5 billion euros. Works are currently being carried out within the scope of the Belgrade-Budapest project, on the section from Belgrade to Novi Sad, which is planned for completion by year’s end 2021.

During 2022, a two-track railway line able to handle speeds of up to 200kph will be established for traffic. The continuation of works, from Novi Sad to the border with Hungary, is expected to start at the beginning of autumn.

The reconstruction of the section from Niš to Brestovac will begin during the second half of this year, while the reconstruction of the railway line from Niš to Dimitrovgrad, together with the construction of a bypass railway around the city of Niš, will begin in the first half of 2022. It is necessary to stress that the Republic of Serbia received part of grants for these projects through European Union funds.

In parallel with these activities, the Ministry of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure has secured grants from

the European Union for the preparation of documentation for the railway line from Stara Pazova to the border with Croatia and from Brestovac to the border with North Macedonia. These works are expected to be completed by year’s end 2022. When it comes to the remaining part of the railway from Belgrade to Niš, the Republic of Serbia is determined to establish a two-track railway for speeds of up to 200kph along the entire length of the route. The actual specifying of activities for this very important project are expected to come during the course of this year.

The realisation of all these projects will lead to a reduction in transit travel times through our country. However, it is essential to keep in mind the effects and impacts that current works, and those that we’re yet to implement, have on railway passenger and freight traffic. Specifically, works on the section of the railway from Novi Sad to the border with Hungary are being carried out under a regime of the complete closure of traffic. This has impacted on the transit flows of freight, causing their redirecting to alternative routes through the territory of the Republic of Serbia, which are longer, have tracks that are in a poorer condition and have a lower capacity compared to the rail tracks along the corridor. With an awareness of that, we secured the required funds from the national budget and implemented

CONSTRUCTION, TRANSPORT AND INFRASTRUCTURE 2021

the renovation of certain alternative routes with the aim of preserving transit flows of freight through Serbia, given the “threat” that’s constantly lurking in the modern railway market – in the form of competing corridors.

Here we are primarily referring to Corridor IV, which runs parallel to our corridor and stretches across the territories of Bulgaria and Romania. However, the fact is that from Budapest, which is one of the largest transport hubs, routes through Romania and Bulgaria – even after the construction of the bridge over the Danube near Vidin – remain longer to Turkey by a distance of 240km and to Greece by a distance of 340km, compared to our corridor. This additionally affirms Corridor X, along which cities are connected in the most rational way through Southeast Europe - Budapest, Ljubljana, Belgrade, Zagreb, Skopje, Athens, Sofia and Istanbul - but also indirectly with Central Europe, for example via Podgorica and Tirana.

The Republic of Serbia is the only non-EU member country (besides Switzerland and Norway) that is still part of the network of the so-called European Rail Freight Corridors. In accordance with the transport policy agenda that’s being implemented by the European Union, nine initial railway corridors were established in 2010, with two more having been formed in the meantime – including the so-called Alpine-Western Balkan Rail Freight Corridor. This corridor passes through the territory of our country, from Dimitrovgrad via Belgrade to Šid.

Works on it formally began in February 2020, and the Republic of Serbia has permanent representatives on its executive and management boards.

When it comes to passenger transport, the high intensity of infrastructure works, or disruptions to traffic and temporary suspensions of traffic on certain lines that these works have caused, have inevitably led to a significant reduction in the number of passengers using the railway in recent years.

The temporary suspension of traffic on the Belgrade Centre-Novi Sad section, due to works on the construction of the railway. has contributed significantly to this negative trend.

In addition to this, we also shouldn’t lose sight of the impact of the COVID-19 epidemic, which practically halved the num-

With the completion of works on the Belgrade and Novi Sad lines and the procurement of the most modern electric trains, for speeds of up to 200kph, Serbia’s two largest cities will be closer than ever before ber of passengers transported in 2020, but also the revenues generated by passenger carriers, both in the EU and in our country.

However, we hope that these difficulties will be behind us soon, and in the period ahead we expect the reopening of this route for traffic, and at its full capacity – for speeds of up to 200kph - which will be the first line of this type in our region. In this sense, the Ministry of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure is also conducting activities related to the procurement of the most modern electric trains for speeds of up to 200kph, which are expected to be delivered by the end of this year.

As for Corridor X as a whole, we can expect the same or a similar effect following completion of the section from Novi Sad to Subotica, but also following the implementation of planned projects on the routes from Belgrade to Šid towards Croatia, from

Niš to Dimitrovgrad towards Bulgaria, from Niš to Preševo towards North Macedonia and, perhaps most importantly, on the route that represents a kind of backbone of the Serbian transport system, and that is the route from Belgrade to Niš.

We shouldn’t overlook the fact that the effects of the reconstruction of certain lines for passenger traffic are already visible and extremely significant, and as an example of this we can single out the Belgrade-Valjevo route, where the reconstruction of the railway has rendered the railway service fully competitive with coach traffic on the roads, thus restoring the confidence of users in the railway.

Due to the nature of investments in the railway sector, or the long period of time that’s necessary in order to see the effects of the previously implemented process of reforming the railway sector and the huge investment cycle that has been launched, trust is actually the key word with which I want to conclude this article. And that means trust in the efforts that we are all exerting together to ensure that Serbia finally gets a modern railway system that’s aligned with the needs of the economy, but also tailored to all Serbian citizens, which will enable life in the country to be simpler in terms of transport. I’m convinced that we will all persevere together on that journey.

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CONSTRUCTION, TRANSPORT AND INFRASTRUCTURE 2021

INTERVIEW

FRANÇOIS BERISOT, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, BELGRADE AIRPORT

The Beginning Of A New Journey For

BELGRADE AIRPORT On 22nd March 2018, VINCI Airports signed a 25-year concession contract with the Government of Serbia covering Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport financing, operation, maintenance, extension and reconstruction. project, aims to boost growth in traffic, create additional value and improve passengers’ experience and comfort. We are building on the expertise of a world-class operator to grow Serbia’s main airport into a major hub for Southeast Europe, thus driving the country’s development by connecting it further to the rest of the world.

Despite the changing circumstances, VINCI Airports believes in the potential of both Serbia and Nikola Tesla Airport. We plan to develop traffic in a smart and sustainable manner. Our commitment to sustainability and positive mobility will allow us to make BELGRADE AIRPORT an exemplary company in terms of the social responsibility, reinforcement and empowerment of its people and the quality of service standards, as well as making Nikola Tesla Airport a reference in Europe for environmental performance.

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n investment plan worth more than €730 million is in place over the course of the concession period, to upgrade and modernise the airport. This constitutes a milestone in the country’s capital airport development, and one of the largest financial transactions ever carried out in Serbia.

What has changed since BELGRADE AIRPORT, as a member of VINCI Airports, the world’s leading private airport operator, took over the operational management of Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport?

During the concession period, the extensive international experience and good practice of VINCI Airports will be applied. The comprehensive programme of modernisation, reconstruction and expansion, within the concession 20

The most visible current effects of the concession are works on the modernisation and expansion of Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport, which started at the beginning of 2020.

Which improvements are in the focus during this period and throughout 2021?

Modernisation works, carried out by VINCI Construction Grands Projects through its subsidiary VINCI Terna Construction, have been ongoing without major disruptions, even during the state of emergency in 2020, in accordance with all the recommendations and prescribed preventative health and safety measures. Further works are being carried out in parallel at several locations, which include the expansion of the terminal, a new secondary runway and additional taxiways, additional aircraft positions for parking and for

de-/anti-icing winter operations, additional car parking spaces and new access roads. While construction of a new bus gate has already been completed, the majority of works will be carried out within the next three years. They will increase the airport’s capacity and improve the comfort and experience of our passengers and all users of the airport.

We recently completed works on the upgrading and modernisation of the entire central area on the boarding level within the terminal. The new area includes an expanded and modernised duty-free shop, as well as the Tesla Square, which now offers a relaxation zone and a variety of new commercial content. Passengers can already experience continuous improvements in comfort and in the look and feel of the airport.

VINCI Airports is determined to become the environmental standard setter for the airport sector and its AirPact strategy is setting very ambitious goals for its entire network of 45 airports. What does this mean for Belgrade Airport?

The concession project has a strong focus on sustainable business, in order to reduce the environmental impact in terms of emissions of greenhouse gases, water and waste, in accordance with the global policy of VINCI Airports.

The construction of a new energy plant for the production and distribution of heat and electricity is underway, which will switch from heavy fuels to more environmentally efficient energy sources and reduce emissions. A 1MW Solar Farm, composed of 3,000 photovoltaic modules, will also be installed this year and will be able to supply the airport with around 1,200,000 kWh of clean energy per year, which

CONSTRUCTION, TRANSPORT AND INFRASTRUCTURE 2021

is equivalent to the consumption of 80 households. This sustainable project will reduce 875 tons of CO2 per year from the airport’s carbon footprint. Furthermore, works on the construction of new solid waste processing plants in the airport’s public and airside area are on the way, as well as a wastewater treatment plant.

In November 2019, the airport made an important achievement in plans to reduce our carbon footprint by joining the Airports Carbon Accreditation - ACA Level 1 programme of the Airports Council International. ACA accreditation is the first result of the new environmental protection strategy developed at Belgrade Airport since it joined the VINCI Airports network.

With our continuous efforts to follow VINCI group’s strong commitments in this area, we are sure that more results will come.

The pandemic posed new challenges for many industries. How has COVID-19 impacted on the airport’s everyday activities and traffic?

The COVID-19 crisis has had an unprecedented impact on the aviation industry, which is surely one of the industries worst affected by the pandemic globally. Of course, we are not the exception here in Serbia. Belgrade Airport has been able to count on the network effect of VINCI Airports to adapt quickly to these new circumstances, in order to provide for the efficient functioning of aviation services and a safe environment for our employees, passengers and all airport users, also through the global educational campaign “Protecting Each Other”. Our teams worked tirelessly, together with Air Serbia and other airlines’ teams, during the state of emergency, when there were no commercial flights to support the arrival of crucial medical equipment to combat COVID-19 in Serbia and repatriation flights. We are proud to welcome continuous arrivals of vaccines to the country.

In terms of traffic volume at our airport, in 2020 it reduced drastically to less than 30% compared to 2019. Together with the airlines and the rest of the industry, we are focused on continuing to re-build passenger confidence in flying by implementing very strict prevention measures and processes. Our airport recently received the Airport Health Accreditation from ACI, rewarding the exceptionally thorough

airport in Europe by Size and Region (5 to 15 million passengers per year), and for the Best hygiene measures by Region (Europe). These ACI awards have been awarded to Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport for the first time and are a great achievement for Belgrade Airport only two years after joining VINCI Airports.

We highly appreciate the efforts and the great success of the Republic of Serbia regarding the

We plan to develop traffic in a smart and sustainable manner. Our commitment to sustainability and positive mobility will allow us to make BELGRADE AIRPORT an exemplary company in terms of the social responsibility, reinforcement and empowerment of its people and the quality of service standards, as well as by making Nikola Tesla Airport a reference in Europe for environmental performance sanitary measures that we put in place and confirming our dedication to maintain safe operations. We are doing all we can to reassure the travelling public that all the necessary prevention measures are in place.

Furthermore, ACI acknowledged our work with two Airport Service Quality Awards, based on our customer’s feedback. Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport was awarded as the Best

whole vaccination process, in the hope that, together with all the preventative measures implemented, it will support the faster recovery of air traffic in Serbia. We are getting ready for that by building infrastructure of the future that will accommodate a full recovery and projected increases. We look forward to traffic growth during the coming summer season and to newly announced airlines and routes during this year.

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INTERVIEW

STOJAN RANGELOV, DIRECTOR OF PUTEVI IVANJICA

Proud Of Every Metre

OF ROADWAYS Over the course of almost 60 years, Putevi Ivanjica has completed some of the most complex undertakings, constructed thousands of kilometres of roads, conducted remediation works on numerous landslides and built many bridges. That's why it is still engaged in some of the most important infrastructure projects in Serbia today

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The greatest advantage of our safety and noise protection systems is their durability and maintenance – viewed over a 20-year period, maintenance costs are at the level of 25% of the costs of systems made using other materials!

European standards (SRPS EN 1317). Since 2018, we deservedly possess a European Conformity CE certificate of production and quality from Germany’s TÜV [Technical Inspection Association].

We’ve participated in the educating of local experts and improved security in the places where we’ve installed our systems. For example, the number of victims on the Zrenjanin road has been reduced to zero for years, while we are still expecting to see the effects of the system installed on Corridor 10 and part of the E80 road.

What makes us unique are our combined systems of safety barriers and noise barriers, where significant savings are achieved both in the works (no foundations) and in investments, particularly in the area of land expropriation. The bridge systems that we install don’t transmit impact energy to the bridge structure, don’t damage it and have the highest level of protection, representing the most superior road safety equipment throughout the whole of Europe.

quality of your protective barriers and fences?

Since 2013, under license from Deltabloc International Gmbh, we’ve been producing traffic safety systems, concrete barriers and sound barriers, certified by “crash” tests according to

Putevi Ivanjica has a completely rounded system in which continuous investments are made. Why is that important?

A completely rounded system is essential to survive on the market. We possess two quarries, crushing plants, our own materials, two bases each for asphalt and concrete, a plant for the prefabrication of concrete elements, as well as all necessary machinery and means of transport, but also an accompanying laboratory for the monitoring of quality. We launched a new asphalt base last year, with which we can also be competitive in terms of quality and capacities in upcoming major works, such as the reconstruction of state roads on our territory and the construction of the highway to Požega.

his successful enterprise has invested significant funds in the purchase of excavators, dump trucks and other construction machinery, while it is also working hard to educate young engineers and other employees, in order to overcome the problem caused by a shortage of construction workers.

During the 60 years of Putevi Ivanjica’s existence, many challenges have been overcome and facilities constructed. What gives you a particular sense of pride?

We built almost the entire network of state roads on the territory of the municipality of Ivanjica, thus connecting our municipality and the entire region of Southwest Serbia, working through difficult and inaccessible terrain. We are recognised for our very well maintained roads, both during the summer months and especially in the winter period. Last year was difficult and full of challenges because of the pandemic, but we ended it with good results and lots of completed projects, and the state also contributed to that with its assistance measures. The catastrophic floods at the end of June 2020 led to the halting of traffic on almost all state and local roads, which we reacted to immediately. We first established transport corridors, then carried out remediation works on more than 10 major landslides and repaired countless cracks and gaps in roads. We are proud of the facilities we’ve constructed, of the reconstruction of state road IB 30 towards Studenica, and we’re especially proud of the newly constructed section of the Golijska Reka - Odvracenica road, covering a distance of 16 kilometres.

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CONSTRUCTION, TRANSPORT AND INFRASTRUCTURE 2021

NENAD TOMIĆ, DIRECTOR OF THE HIGHWAY INSTITUTE

INTERVIEW

Beacon Of The

ROADWORKS INDUSTRY Serbia's Highway Institute [Institut za puteve] continues to rank as a regional leader in the field of highway engineering. Testifying to this claim is the fact that it has played the most important role in road construction over its previous 70 years of operations, which is manifested in the huge number of road projects it has implemented in the country and abroad, and in the high quality of its work.

The Highway Institute is today an organisation that works according to world standards in monitoring the development of road transport, planning road construction, economically justifying investments in road construction, designing roads, highways, bridges and tunnels, researching road construction materials, performing expert and technical supervision and control of the construction and maintenance of roads and facilities of all types and categories.

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he experts of the Highway Institute are today working on preliminary designs for the Novi Sad-Ruma-Šabac and Iverak-Lajkovac roads and the PožarevacVeliko Gradište-Golubac and Paraćin-Zaječar expressways, as well as developing the preliminary design for the Moravian Corridor and conducting expert supervision for the Sremska Rača-Kuzmin road.

The Highway Institute has been a reliable partner to the state, but also international partners and institutions, since it was founded.

Are you still considered a regional leader in the area of highway engineering?

Since its very inception, the Highway Institute has been, and remains, a bearer of new ideas, new knowledge and insights, which sets tasks related to the planning, design, construction and maintenance of roads. It is the first operator in the field of roadworks to hold the JUS ISO 9001 Certificate (domestic and international).

When it comes to road infrastructure, the state is building more than ever before. To what extent does it rely on the Highway Institute in these works? What projects are you currently working on?

The extent to which the road system and highway engineering are dependent on the

In order to reduce the outflow of personnel it is necessary to provide the same working conditions, possibilities of professional advancement and quality of life as those that exist in Western countries situation, processes and changes in the fields of politics and the economy is known. Through the constant innovation of knowhow, the procurement of modern equipment, improvements and the application of new methods and procedures, the Highway Institute has become a pillar of support and an indispensable factor in strategically complex and comprehensive projects related to the modern approach to improving roads.

The first modern road projects implemented

and today’s highways, as well as the first prefeasibility and feasibility studies that served as the basis for the approving of loans from the World Bank and the European Bank, were done at the Highway Institute. These are all important reasons why the state relies on the work and experience of our Institute. The Highway Institute is today working on the following important projects: preliminary design of the Novi Sad-Ruma-Šabac road; preliminary design of the Požarevac-Veliko Gradište-Golubac expressway; preliminary design of the ParaćinZaječar expressway; the project to construct the Moravian Corridor, the project to construct the Iverak-Lajkovac expressway and expert supervision of Sremska Rača-Kuzmin road.

Enterprises for roadworks, but also the entire construction sector, are plagued by the shortage of expert personnel and skilled workers. How can the outflow of essential staff be halted?

In order to reduce the outflow of personnel it is necessary to provide the same working conditions, possibilities of professional advancement and quality of life as those that exist in Western countries. One possible answer to your question lies in the possibility of overcoming the lack of an adequate workforce on the market by road companies and enterprises adapting their operations and intensifying cooperation with faculties and ministries. It is essential to have partnership relations between the employer, the labour market and educational institutions, with harmonised relations between earnings and the cost of living, as well as the improvement of the system of professional training through additional investment in the quality, availability and number of training courses.

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INTERVIEW

VELJKO KOVACEVIĆ, ASSISTANT MINISTER IN CHARGE OF WATER TRANSPORT & NAVIGATION SAFETY

We Have Both Vision And

IMPLEMENTATION It is important for civilisation that we build highways, but without a developed railway network, modern ports and intermodal terminals, we won't give our economy a chance to efficiently produce and export. I believe that during this year and next we are awaited by the realisation of precisely those transport projects that lead to Serbia's full inclusion in Europe's trade flows.

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here does Serbia stand today when it comes to the country’s more active involvement in European trade flows? I believe that the optimal and illustrative answer to this question would be a comparison of where Serbia was until 2014 and where we are today.

I would remind you that until 2014, we hadn’t managed to organise ourselves sufficiently as a society even to use what has been given to us by the nature of things, i.e. by our geographical position.

That which was started by generations several decades ago – and that is the construction of a highway that would connect Serbia with Hungary and Central Europe to the north, and with North Macedonia, Greece, Bulgaria and Turkey to the south and southeast – we continued in 2014, I would say in a sufficiently organised and efficient way for the first time, and completed in the summer of 2019.

However, I actually view 2014 as a crucial year for this society in a way, because I believe that what was launched then, and the way it was launched, as well as the plans that were defined that year, irreversibly initiated a process that will ultimately change the image of this country entirely.

The then Government, the prime minister of which, I will remind you, was Aleksandar Vučić, defined priorities for the development of transport and began working according to that action plan. What is of essential

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importance is the fact that this transport policy, unlike all the previous ones, was not short-term and didn’t look only one step ahead.

Specifically, it didn’t start from the assumption that it would be sufficient to complete Corridor X for all our problems to be solved. On the contrary, it was clearly stated even back then that this would only be a precondition for us to finally start exploiting the transit position given to us by nature, but also to prevent the dying out of cities and municipalities in central and southern Serbia. We completed this civilisation-promoting work without error.

Then began the defining of other projects for the development of road transport infrastructure that aim to better connect Serbia with the region, as well as creating the basic preconditions for the arrival of large investments, not only in Belgrade or Novi Sad, but also in Pirot, Leskovac, Kruševac, Kraljevo and elsewhere. The result of that consideration was the launch of works on the Moravian Corridor, the Fruška Gora Corridor, the highway that will connect us with Bosnia-Herzegovina, the planning of the Vožd Karađorđe Highway, along with numerous works on the reconstruction of regional roads. All of these projects will enable the full utilisation of this country’s transit capacity.

However, it became clear even then that Serbia has the capabilities and the capacity to do much more, and that the construction of road infrastructure alone would not be sufficient to ensure Serbia’s full inclusion in European trade flows. That’s why works didn’t stop with the securing of funds and the efficient management of road infrastructure development projects, rather there was the start of serious investments in the railway network, as well as water transport infrastructure. These are two forms of transport that this country needs to develop in order to realise its logistical capacities, and I will remind you that it is logistics that create additional value in the transport flows of every country. Just take a look at Ireland, for example, and everything will be clear to you.

It is important from the perspective of civilisation for us to build highways and thus

connect and accelerate Serbia. But without a developed rail network, then modern ports that will be compatible with the large seaports in the area through the concept of their planning, such as so-called ‘dry ports’, without intermodal terminals, we won’t provide a chance for our economy to sell domestic products on foreign markets, nor to import raw materials used in production, in a way that’s more economical and efficient.

In that sense, I believe that during this year and next we are awaited by the realisation of precisely those transport projects that will mean the fulfilling of all infrastructure preconditions for Serbia’s full inclusion in Europe’s trade flows. Also of undoubted importance here is the new leadership of this ministry, which Tomislav Momirović brought with him.

The most important project is undoubtedly the reconstruction of the rail section of Corridor X, from the Hungarian border all the way to the border with North Macedonia,

superstructure facilities that would enable the more efficient storage and export of grain to foreign markets, which has a negative impact on the price achieved by our producers, and has a devastating but reversible impact on agribusiness. We have identified this problem and are working on it seriously today.

Our agenda doesn’t only include the Port of Bogojevo or the Port of Novi Sad, where we’ve brought the world’s third largest port operator that will launch works at this port in September and will invest 35 million euros.

There is also, for example, the new Port of Belgrade, a project that will mark the current generation of engineers specialising in transport and hydraulics, because the Port of Belgrade is this country’s most important facility for water transport and overall logistics, the construction of which has been planned for a century. With the construction of a new port in Belgrade, the Republic of Serbia will gain a hub that will enable the

The Port of Belgrade is this country’s most important facility for water transport and overall logistics, and its construction has been planned for a century but also the reconstruction of some other important railway routes, one of the most important of which, in my deep conviction, is the railway line from Niš to Zaječar, Bor and Prahovo, where large industrial complexes are located, and especially because of the Chemical Park that’s planned for Prahovo.

That’s the very reason why the project to expand the Port of Prahovo, which is the logistical heart of the future chemical park, is also of great importance.

Of equal importance is the reconstruction of several railway lines in Vojvodina, where the Ministry of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure is preparing a project to expand the capacity of the Port of Bogojevo, which is predominantly linked to agribusiness and which isn’t currently connected to the national rail network, which is one of its biggest shortcomings.

Viewed in general terms, Serbia has a pronounced problem in the form of a lack of modern port infrastructure and

linking of road, rail and water transport. The project to revitalise the railway section of Corridor X in Serbia, with its routes Xb and Xc, will enable the connecting of the Port of Belgrade with some of the most important TEN-T corridors, such as the Orient/Eastern Mediterranean Corridor, the Mediterranean Corridor and the Baltic-Adriatic Corridor.

This brief overview of one small part of the project activity of the the Ministry of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure shows that we have understood what we need to do to connect Serbia with the EU and the region, but also, as a society, to become sufficiently competitive against the largest players in the EU. Of course, none of this would be possible without financial stability and budgetary discipline, which allows major investments in transport infrastructure, which is why working at this Ministry today brings with it far greater responsibility, but also satisfaction, compared to the period only eight or nine years ago.

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INTERVIEW

VUK PEROVIĆ, DIRECTOR OF THE PORT GOVERNANCE AGENCY

Ports Revived By

STRONG ECONOMY Serbia's Port Governance Agency completed the first two phases of arranging port activities during the previous period. The first phase included the declaring of the port areas of cargo ports and international passenger terminals, while the second phase encompassed the preparing of technical documentation for the expansion of ports and the construction of new terminals, while the Agency is now awaited by the third phase – investing in construction

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onsidering the importance of cruising when it comes to presenting Serbia to foreign tourists, we are working proactively on the restoration of passenger transport on the rivers. In addition to utilising the opportunities provided to cruise enthusiasts by the Danube, we will also launch the construction and promotion of destinations on the Sava, with the opening of passenger terminals in Sremska Mitrovica and Šabac. And in parallel with that we will also continue to develop marinas, which have great potential to complete the nautical tourism offer, announces Port Governance Agency Director Vuk Perović in this interview.

Quantities of transshipped cargo and the volume of passenger traffic on rivers in Serbia have been on the rise for the last five years. Has the pandemic spoilt those results?

The unfortunate global epidemiological situation hasn’t had a detrimental impact on freight 28

traffic. For the fifth consecutive year we’ve recorded increased quantities of transshipments of goods on rivers in Serbia. Last year saw 16 million tons of cargo transshipped, which is five per cent more than in 2019. These good results were achieved thanks to the intensified activities of the Serbian economy, especially in the area of construction. It is important for us to highlight the fact that our country ranks second in the Danube region in terms of the annual volume of transshipments.

When it comes to passenger transport, the pandemic resulted in the suspending of cruises throughout Europe, which has also impacted Serbia. Compared to the 2019 nautical season, only one per cent of the volume of cruising was realised last year.

Is the development and expansion of existing cargo ports, and the construction of new ones, among the priorities of the Port Governance Agency?

We will launch the construction and promotion of destinations on the Sava, with the opening of passenger terminals in Sremska Mitrovica and Šabac The growth of cargo transshipments indicates to us that it is necessary to intensify the development of ports. The efforts of the Serbian Government aimed at improving inland waterway transport and the investment plan in this area will contribute to achieving the objective of Serbian ports becoming competitive and important economic hubs in Southeast Europe.

This leads to trade, industry and production in the hinterland being stimulated, thus bringing new jobs and regional development.

The Agency has completed the first two phases of arranging port activities, while ahead of us is the third and most important phase – investing in construction. In accordance with the developmental role of the Agency, we’ve planned investments in infrastructure projects. We thereby want to improve the port infrastructure, increase the throughput capacity of our ports and strengthen their position on the international market.

How many international passenger terminals do we currently have and do they, like marinas, represent a new development opportunity and an important segment of inland waterway passenger transport in Serbia?

I’m proud of the fact that we’ve made six international passenger terminals on the Danube operational during the previous period. During the course of this year, despite the pandemic, we plan to open new ones, and those are in Zemun, Sremski Karlovci, Veliko Gradiste (Ram), Apatin and Kostolac. Our goal is to declare the remaining port areas of international passenger terminals in the next two years and invest resources in their construction.

We are continuing with the development of marinas, which have great potential to complete the nautical tourism offer. We’ve started defining the network of marinas on the Danube and Sava rivers, where we are considering attractive locations that will entice tourists who would visit Serbia on their voyages.

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EHTING

BUSINESS

Port Construction

EXPERTS

Ehting is intensively engaged in the preparation of technical documentation for the construction of ports in the Republic of Serbia, following the need for navigable river corridors with their own built infrastructure, in order to emphasise the positive geographical position of Serbia and utilise its advantages

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his company will strive to direct its business policy in a way that allows it to continue to be a reliable partner in designing this type of complex technological project – and not only domestically, but also on foreign markets Ehting Ltd. Belgrade was established in March 1990 as a company for designing, engineering and consulting in water resources and construction. Throughout its existence and business operations, Ehting has successfully completed its projects and acquired numerous references in the following domains: water supply and sewerage systems; potable water and wastewater treatment and pollution control; ports, harbours and marinas; river training works; landfill sites, transfer stations and sanitary engineering; land improvement systems – drainage and irrigation works; environmental protection and engineering; flood control and river engineering; water resources and watershed management; groundwater and surface water exploitation; infrastructure facilities and systems; information systems in water resources management.

We possess required licenses for the preparation of technical documentation for facilities

that require a construction permit issued by the Ministry: P010G3 - hydro-technical designs of large dams and reservoirs, P071G3 - hydrotechnical designs of inter-regional and regional water supply and sewerage facilities, P072G3 - hydro-technical designs for WTP > 200 l/s, P072M2 - mechanical designs for WTP > 200 l/s, P072T1 - process designs for WTP > 200 l/s,

mechanical and architectural engineers, and technicians. Our business is certified under ISO standards: 9001, 14001 and 45001. We are a regular member of the Association of Consulting Engineers of Serbia (ACES) and an official member of the world FIDIC and the European EFCA Association.

According to the primary goals of the Euro-

The Ehting team numbers 45 permanent employees – comprising highly qualified civil, process, mechanical and architectural engineers, and technicians P073G3 - hydro-technical designs for WWTP > 200 l/s, P073M2 - mechanical designs for WWTP > 200 l/s, P073T1 - process designs for WWTP > 200 l/s, P080G3 - hydro-technical designs of river training works for flood control of urban and rural areas exceeding 300 ha, P120G1 hydro-technical designs of passenger terminals and ports, P120G3 - civil designs of passenger terminals and ports, P160G3 - hydro-technical designs of hydraulic structures on fairways The Ehting team numbers 45 permanent employees. The company’s professional-technical nucleus comprises highly qualified civil, process,

pean transport policy, as well as the Strategy of Waterborne Transport Development of the Republic of Serbia for the 2015–2025 Period, a significant increase is expected in the volume of goods transported on inland waterways compared to other modes of transport.

Ehting is currently working on projects for the following ports: Smederevo, Bogojevo, Prahovo, Sremska Mitrovica, Novi Sad and Belgrade, the ports located alongside thermal power plants Nikola Tesla A and B. During 2019 we have finished projects and a supervision of works in construction of the port TPP Kostolac.

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INTERVIEW

ĐORĐE MILIĆ, ASSISTANT MINISTER FOR SPATIAL PLANNING AND URBANISM

Unveiling The Republic Of Serbia's

NEW SPATIAL PLAN The Spatial Plan of the Republic of Serbia represents the basic planning document for spatial planning and development in the country, with which the long-term strategic framework for the directing and managing of spatial development is determined. The third Spatial Plan of the Republic of Serbia is harmonised with the new 'Serbia 2025' national investment programme and other strategic documents.

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he preparation of the Third Spatial Plan of the Republic of Serbia is the result of multiple decades of continuous spatial planning in the Republic of Serbia and represents the continuation of the previous two planning cycles. The First Spatial Plan of the Republic of Serbia was adopted in 1996, following an unusually long process (almost three decades). The First Spatial Plan was adopted under specific socio-economic circumstances and lacked elaborated instru32

mentation for its implementation. The Second Spatial Plan of the Republic of Serbia, which is currently in force, was adopted in 2010 with an envisaged time-frame lasting until 2020.

The implementation of this plan is supported by implementation programmes and reports on the realisation of the spatial plan for the first time in the practice of planning.

The Third Spatial Plan of the Republic of Serbia is currently being prepared under the circumstances of the global pandemic of the

COVID-19 infectious disease, in accordance with the new “Serbia 2025” national investment programme, sectoral strategies, development planning documents and public policies, the results of previous research, the conditions of competent public institutions and bodies, as well as being aligned with international frameworks and documents pertaining to the field of spatial planning and spatial development.

The scope of the Spatial Plan encompasses the territory of the Republic of Serbia, in accordance with the Constitution of the Republic of Serbia and the Law on Territorial Organisation of the Republic of Serbia. The implementation time-frame is harmonised with the long-term time-frame of the majority of sectoral strategies. The long-term strategy, concepts and planning solutions for spatial development are defined for a time-frame extending until 2035. Some solutions in this plan are perceived for a lasting period that is not limited to the specific time-frame. The implementation of national goals and the strategic commitments of spatial development will be enabled through the applying and elaborating of long-term strategic, conceptual and planning solutions of the spatial plan in the development of planning documents, public policies, spatial and urban plans. The harmonising of national, regional and local interests and development priorities will be implemented through the development of planning documents at the regional and local level, within the scope of which planning solutions and priorities will be further developed in

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accordance with the spatial plan’s guidelines.

The bearer responsible for preparing this spatial plan is the Ministry of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure. Its expert processors include: The Institute of Architecture and Urban & Spatial Planning of Serbia (works contractor on behalf of the group of processors), The Faculty of Geography, University of Belgrade; The Faculty of Architecture, University of Belgrade; The Traffic Institute CIP Ltd., Belgrade; The Urban Institute of Vojvodina public enterprise, Novi Sad GDI SOLUTIONS LTD., Belgrade.

The Spatial Plan is being prepared in accordance with the Decision on the Development of the Spatial Plan of the Republic of Serbia from 2021 to 2035, which was adopted by the Government of the Republic of Serbia in 2019.

In accordance with the Law on Strategic Environmental Impact Assessments, a report on the strategic environmental impact assessment of the spatial plan is being prepared in parallel with the development of the spatial plan.

The legal basis for the preparation of the spatial plan is provided by the Law on Planning and Construction and the Ordinance on the contents, manner and procedure of drafting spatial and urban planning documents. The preparation of this spatial plan is also based on other relevant laws, by-laws and regulations. The Law on the Planning System of the Republic of Serbia recognises the Spatial Plan of the Republic of Serbia as a development planning document.

This spatial plan does not regulate matters that are subject to special laws (territorial organisation, construction land, water, forests, mineral resources, environmental protection, the protection of natural and cultural heritage, land defences, infrastructure ranking etc.), but rather forms a strategic framework of spatial development through planned synthesis.

The compiling of this spatial plan began in the fourth quarter of 2019 and encompassed the preparing and producing of materials for advanced public inspection, thematic studies and drafts of the spatial plan.

Advanced public inspection was conducted in the period from 2nd to 16th March 2020, with a report compiled on the conducted advanced public inspection in accordance with the law.

Three thematic studies were conducted (1.

A public inspection of the draft spatial plan will be held in April 2021. Following the conclusion of this public inspection, it remains for the proposed Law on the Spatial Plan of the Republic of Serbia to be determined by the Government, and its consideration and adoption in the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia “Economy, transport and infrastructure”, 2.

“Nature, environment and cultural assets” and 3. “Population, settlements and social development”, which contain ten basic areas with a total of 36 special study contributions, covering in excess of 1,500 pages), as well as the Planning Atlas (which contains approximately 40 thematic and synthesised maps made using GIS technology, in which geospatial and statistical data are processed, as well as key indicators from thematic studies), which represent the basis of study for the drafting of the spatial plan.

In accordance with the law and regulations adopted on the basis of the law, the draft spatial plan will contain:

1) Starting points (introduction; preparation method; review of the planning system and planning basis; impacts of globalisation and the surrounding lands on the spatial development of the Republic of Serbia; the territory of the Republic of Serbia in the broader European environment; general assessment of the situation according to thematic areas, with a synthesised assessment of potentials, limitations and key spatial development problems); 2) Objectives and planning solutions (scenarios of spatial development; principles of spatial development; visions, general and specific objectives of spatial development; long-term spatial development strategy; planning solutions according to thematic areas – protecting and utilising natural resources, heritage and the environment, population and social development, regional development, the economy, infrastructure, and the protection and use of space); 3) Implementation (priority planning solutions; implementation measures and instruments; relations regarding public policies and guidelines for implementation in the planning system; the compilation and adoption of planning documents; spatial development indicators; guidelines for the preparation of PPRS implementation programmes); 4) Referral maps at a scale of 1 : 300,000 (1.

“Purpose of space”; 2. “Network and system of urban centres and rural areas”; 3a. “Transport and electronic infrastructure”; 3b. “Water management and energy infrastructure”; 4a. “Tourism and Spatial Protection” and 4b. “Environment”).

The geodata of the spatial plan are contained in a spatial database created using GIS technology. This database contains geodata submitted by holders of public authorisations, companies and institutions in the legally established procedure for obtaining conditions, data and groundwork.The database contains information on the institution that provided the data – the owner of the data and the reference scale. This database can be used for the preparation of other planning documents.

Selected geodata from the GIS database are presented on reference and thematic maps of the spatial plan in an adapted cartographic scale. For the preparation of other planning documents, as a rule, they are not applied directly, but rather are determined in more spatial detail in accordance with the appropriate scale and the legally prescribed procedure.

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Company For The New Millennium

HIGH STANDARDS FIRST & FOREMOST

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Although it will only celebrate its coming of age this year, company Millennium Team has been known as a regional leader among construction companies for a long time. It ascended to the very top thanks to knowhow, experience and state-of-the-art mechanisation, but primarily thanks to its clear vision.

ounded in 2003, Millennium Team has grown as a company to become a regional leader in its field, expanding its business activities across the territory of our country and the region, and recording continuous growth ever since. The credit for Millennium Team’s business success belongs mostly to the managementteamthatadministersthecompany, but also employees in all areas, including highly trained workers who have amassed many years of experience. Since its establishment, it has been engaged - within its core area of business - in the construction of hydraulic structures, infrastructure facilities – including roadways, railways, gas pipelines, heating pipelines and specialised works – consulting and civil engineering.

Although its core activity is the construction of civil engineering facilities and structures, Millennium Team has also shown that it operates equallysuccessfullyinthedomainofconstruction.

One extremely important project is the construction of affordable apartments for members of the Serbian Army, police and the SecurityInformation Agency in Vranje and Niš, which Millennium Team implemented jointly with Turkish companyTasjapi. A total of 186 affordable apartments have been built for members of the security forces in Vranje, while 190 apartments are currently under construction in Niš.

The Million Team also proudly highlights the project to construct the State Data Centre in Kragujevac, which – in terms of technical and security standards – is one of the most modern facilities in the region, housing key information and communication infrastructure of the Republic of Serbia. Millennium Team’s masons took advantage of this unique opportunity in the best 34

possible way, completing the works just one year and five months after the laying of the foundation stone. During the implementing of these works they also managed to cope with the destruction of unexploded artillery devices, in the form of bombs dating back to World War II, but also the novel coronavirus that was awaiting builders on the space occupied by today’s Data Centre.

Representatives of the Millennium Team are particularly proud of the fact that the company has been engaged in the implementation of works

The company’s motto is that clients deserve only the best. And this is confirmed by the high standards that were set when the company was founded and that are still maintained today on the Belgrade Waterfront project, representing the largest construction site in Southeast Europe, since its launch. The workers of this leading company are currently engaged in the construction of roadways within the scope of the Belgrade Waterfront complex, but also in the construction of the Belgrade Tower, which represents a new symbol of the Serbian capital.

As a regional leader in its field, Millennium Team is partnering Pizzarotti in the project to build the Belgrade Tower skyscraper.

Despite investing continuously in new technologies, training and upgrading expert personnel, monitoring advances in the domain of construction around the world, and listening to the needs of investors and end users, this company still wouldn’t have achieved such excellent business

results and its leadership position without a wonderful working atmosphere. For Millennium Team it is an imperative to encourage teamwork, personal responsibility, innovativeness and the integrity of employees, building mutual trust and communication with the aim of making the company’s operations as efficient as possible and ensuring works are implemented to the highest possible quality.

In the struggle against time and deadlines, especially in today’s time of the pandemic, Millennium Team pays special attention to the protection and health of every employee. That’s precisely why the company’s management allocated 4,000,800 dinars for additional medical protection against the COVID-19 virus.

It is also an imperative for MillenniumTeam to constantly improve all processes in the construction of buildings, to advance employees through trainingand to masternewtechnologies,aswellas possessing all relevant and essential certificates and licenses, thereby guaranteeing the quality of its work through successfully implemented projects and satisfied investors and users.

The company’s motto is that clients deserve only the best. And this is confirmed by the high standards that were set when the company was founded and that are still maintained today.

Constructing buildings in a safe and healthy way shows how committed this company is to the local community. And best testifying to the importance that this company attaches to the concept of corporate social responsibility, which it set at its very inception, are its CSR activities aimed at helping children, the youth and other vulnerable sections of the population, promoting sport and education.

Millennium Team doo Žanke Stokić 39 11040 Beograd | Srbija (Tel) +381 11 313 95 25 (Web) www.millenniumteam.rs

The basic activity of Millennium Team is civil engineering.

• construction and designing of hydrotechnical facilities: waterways, rainwater and sanitary sewers, reinforced concrete collectors, pumping stations, drinking water treatment facilities, facilities for treating sanitary and industrial wastewater.

• construction and designing of thermotechnical, thermal energy, processing and gas installations for oil and gas refining facilities, international and national products pipelines, gas pipelines and oil pipelines for transportation, national and regional long-

distance heating lines.

• construction works on railways, railway facilities and buildings • construction of traffic infrastructure • construction and repairs of city and regional landfills Special activities: • drilling under roads and railways using the pipe insertion method • under drilling using the Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) method • drilling and installing geothermal probes • Decreasing the level of groundwater: - by drilling drainage wells

CONSTRUCTION, TRANSPORT AND INFRASTRUCTURE 2021

- using wellpoints • renting and installing steel welded barriers with Larrsen-profiles during construction of: - roads and channels - foundation pit reinforcement - construction at flowing water - landfills and waste disposals - noise-protection walls - hydro-technical facilities - construction of petrol stations and installation of reservoirs.

Humanitarian demining Millennium Team is registered, technically equipped and staffed for demining activities.

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INTERVIEW

NIKOLA MALBAŠA, GENERAL MANAGER OF CONSTRUCTION COMPANY JADRAN

Transformation In The Time

OF PANDEMICS

During a year that was unfavourable for business, Belgrade-based company Jadran managed to finalise its transformation process and become a general contractor that offers clients a complete service – from the initial design of facilities to their final construction during a seemingly unfavourable year for business, to finalise its transformation process and become a general contractor that offers clients a complete service – from the initial design of facilities to their final construction and handover to the client.

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he COVID-19 viral pandemic is the biggest health crisis of this century, but also its biggest social and economic crisis. As an unprecedented blow to the world economy, almost wiped out entire industries and led to padlocks being placed on the doors of numerous corporations that were stable until yesterday. However, that same coin has a flip side: some companies managed to transform their operations during this crisis, continuing to invest and ultimately achieve growth. One such example is local construction company Jadran, which has enjoyed a full seven decades of successful operations in the areas of final construction works, the revitalisation of facades and buildings under state protection and anti-corrosion protection, and which used the period of the pandemic to reposition itself as a general contractor. Here we speak with Jadran General Manager Nikola Malbaša about how this company managed, 36

Jadran is one of Serbia’s oldest construction companies. How did the process of transforming it to the position of a general contractor progress and what was included in all the steps that you took?

Since way back in 1950, when it was founded, Jadran has been delivering the highest quality construction solutions that endure. This was initially through plastering and painting works, then it advanced to anti-corrosion protection in large systems. Quality impacted on demand, and that demand impacted on the expansion of the portfolio of services. We started dealing with reconstructions, renovations and all finish-

in mechanisation, and set the direction, in terms of a long-term strategy of dynamic and exponential growth through the constant expansion of our portfolio of services. We entered each new phase completely prepared – both professionally and technically – and that ensured that our progress has been sustainable and stable – from privatisation until today.

How has the pandemic influenced your company’s operations?

Our priority during the pandemic has been to take care of the safety of employees, particularly on construction sites themselves, where works haven’t stopped for a single moment. Moreover, we also felt that we had to ensure stability for all the people employed in the company, but also their families. We decided to remain consistent with our strategy of development and transformation, which we

The pandemic didn’t stop us in our efforts to position Jadran as a company that implements large “design & build” projects ing works, and our quality is also recognised beyond the borders of the country.

That process also continued when you took over the helm of the company in 2006, with Jadran having become a great example of a successful privatisation. What was your strategy back then?

When I, together with my team, took over Jadran, we kept the most important things – people, expertise and many decades of experience. We supported the existing capacities with strong investments, primarily

launched a few years earlier. The pandemic didn’t cause us to waver in our efforts to position Jadran as a company that implements large “design & build” projects. To date we’ve completed construction of the Nikola Tesla Primary School in Belgrade. We are currently building a commercial complex in city centre, while we will soon finalise a completely new gym at the Anton Skala Primary School.

The new works, new business position and perspective that we’ve achieved, but also concrete growth, are all confirmation that we have made the right decision.

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CONSTRUCTION, TRANSPORT AND INFRASTRUCTURE 2021

Construction Leaders are

LEED CERTIFIED

Any building can be a “green building”, whether it's a home, office, school, hospital, community home or any other type of structure, provided it fulfils clearly defined standards and rules

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he LEED certificate is the same for building as a declaration is on food packaging - information testifying to the composition and quality of the product. This certificate introduces order to construction and directs builders towards proper design, care for the environment and energy savings Since construction of the first communities and the first residential settlements, man has endeavoured to provide himself and his family with the best living conditions – protection against the weather and wild animals. In the modern world, where urban populations aren’t threatened by heavy snows, rhinos and lions, some different rules and housing standards apply.Valuedtodayarestructuresthatpreserve natural resources and improve the quality of our lives; buildings that reduce or eliminate negative impacts through their design, construction or functioning, and which create positive impacts on our climate and natural environment. Valued today are “green buildings”.

Any building can be a “green building”, provided it meets the highest standards of sustainable construction from the aspect of 40

energy consumption and natural resources, and these standards relate to the consumption of water and energy, air pollution, the raw materials used to construct the building, the quality of interiors, location and connectivity, social responsibility and profit.

And confirming whether these standards

LEED standard certification has been awarded by the non-profit U.S. Green Building Council since 1994 have been met is the LEED standard certification, which has been awarded by the non-profit U.S. Green Building Council since 1994.

LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) represents a certification programme for buildings, houses and communities that can be sought for both structures that have already been built and those that are still under construction.

Four levels of certification exist, and the number of points determines the level of certification to which a facility belongs,

while there are five categories for which the LEED certificate is awarded: Building Design and Construction (BD+C) – for exterior design and construction (newly built structures or buildings undergoing major renovations) Interior Design and Construction (ID+C) – for interior design and construction (the interiors of commercial buildings, retail outlets, hotels, motels, restaurants etc.)

Building Operations and Maintenance (O+M) – applicable to improvements in the functioning or construction of existing buildings (educational and retail facilities, warehouses, hotels, motels etc.)

Neighborhood Development – applicable to new development projects (renovation of housing projects, such as sustainable settlements) Homes – applicable to family houses (the design and construction of family houses).

Within the scope of each of these categories, it is necessary to meet certain prerequisites in order for the facility to become a holder of LEED certification, with a certain number of points awarded for each category.

CONSTRUCTION, TRANSPORT AND INFRASTRUCTURE 2021

SKYLINE

BUSINESS

Green Buildings For

HEALTH AND WELLNESS The Empire State Building, one of the most famous buildings in the United States, possesses a LEED GOLD certificate, while in Serbia, apart from the SKYLINE AFI TOWER, only 48 other facilities have, or are in the process of obtaining, LEED GOLD certification

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LEED GOLD certificate means that the construction process has adhered to the principles of sustainability – efficient use of water, reductions in waste generated and carbon dioxide emitted, use of materials that are not harmful to the environment, installing of heating, cooling and ventilation systems that comply with energy efficiency requirements Employees spend most of their time in the work space, which has a major influence not only on their efficiency and motivation, but also on their health and wellness. With this in mind, a question arises as to whether enough attention is paid to the materials used to make everything in the working environment, to the lighting, walls and floors. Is enough consideration given to the quality of the air that employees breathe during those eight hours they spend at work? How is the natural light, at what angle is it refracted, how is the quality of the glass etc.?

Is all this important and, if so, to what extent? The heads of many foreign and domestic companies are increasingly paying attention to where they will locate their business and what working conditions they will provide for their employees, with an awareness that green buildings are the future and represent a profitable long-term investment.

That’s precisely why it comes as no surprise that individual investors in

Serbia are also increasingly opting for green construction, thereby contributing to the development of a new culture of construction that leads to savings on costs and enhances the efficiency of a facility, but also improves the quality of life of the entire community and the natural environment in which companies operate.

OW DOES ONE EARN THE H TITLE “GREEN BUILDING”?

In order for a building to receive the “green building” title, it must meet some of the international independent standards of green construction and it then receives the appropriate certificate, the most common of which is LEED certification. This is a worldwide system of evaluating green buildings that takes into account several factors: design, materials used, economical running costs, compatibility with the latest technologies and compliance with energy efficiency requirements.

Millions of people live and work in LEED-certified buildings worldwide, and the reason is simple – they ensure greater productivity, comfort, and the happiness and health of tenants. This kind of opportunity will also be provided to all future tenants of the new business tower, Skyline AFI tower, which began being constructed last November and will be located within the scope of the Skyline Belgrade residential and

business complex in Kneza Miloša Street. The investor behind this tower, AFI Europe, has fulfilled all essential conditions to ensure the facility will qualify for the LEED GOLD certificate.

HAT DOES THE LEED GOLD W CERTIFICATE PROVIDE? LEED Gold buildings consume 25 per cent less energy than the average business building that does no possess this certificate, while emissions of harmful gases are reduced by 34 per cent. As many as 61 per cent of the heads of major global corporations believe that working in business buildings that are LEED Gold certified is more

productive and thus ensures the achieving of better financial results.

The savings achieved in all segments are significant: $1.2 billion in energy savings, $149.5 million in water savings, $715.3 million in maintenance costs savings and $ 54.2 million in savings on waste generated. (https://www.usgbc. org/leed/why-leed).

Healthy and happy people, in a healthy working environment, provide the basis to build a healthy economy. That’s precisely why it’s important for everyone to understand that green buildings don’t only provide a healthy working environment, but also have a positive longterm impact on the global economy.

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CONSTRUCTION, TRANSPORT AND INFRASTRUCTURE 2021

INTERVIEW

BILJANA VUKSANOVIĆ, SECRETARY OF STATE AT THE MINISTRY OF CONSTRUCTION, TRANSPORT AND INFRASTRUCTURE

Network Of Cooperation

AND DEVELOPMENT Reducing the costs of trade and improving the efficiency of transport in the Western Balkans, as well as the institutional, physical and operational modernisation of the railway sector, will contribute to faster economic integration within the region, but also testify to the clear prospects of EU accession

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he unique pan-European transport infrastructure projects that integrate the projects of transEuropean highways north-south (TEM) and trans-European railways (TER) actually bring together and connect EU member states, but also EU membership candidate countries.

All of the projects in the domain of transport infrastructure that are being implemented in or are planned by the Republic of Serbia aim to further the indicative expansion of the EU Transport Network to the region of the Western Balkans, and thus also to Serbia.

In accordance with the Economic and Investment Plan, and the accompanying Green Agenda for the Western Balkans, which was adopted by the European Commission in October 2020 and contains priority areas for investment, improvement and cooperation in the field of transport, from both a national and regional aspect, and from the aspect of EU accession, the Republic of Serbia is investing intensively in the construction, renovation and modernisation of railway infrastructure, the improvement of navigational flows on inland waterways, as well as the construction and maintenance of the road network.

These investments should contribute to achieving the goal of interconnecting capital cities, ports and economic centres within the region, and to the interconnecting of the region with the European Union, thus

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CONSTRUCTION, TRANSPORT AND INFRASTRUCTURE 2021

improving trade through more efficient transport services, improving traffic safety and reducing transport’s negative impact on the environment.

In order to illustrate the works being undertaken, the infrastructure projects that contribute to fulfilling the stated goals in the Republic of Serbia are all projects on the renovation of the railway segment of Corridor X, such as the project to modernise the railway line along the Belgrade-Novi Sad-Subotica-Hungarian border route, the modernisation of the Niš-Dimitrovgrad railway line and the reconstruction and modernisation of the railway along the Valjevo-Vrbnica-Montenegrin border route, but also projects aimed at improving navigation on the Danube, such as the project to conduct works on critical sections of the Danube and Sava rivers and the overhaul of the Đerdap I lock, as well as projects to construct and renovate roads that represent part of the indicative expansion of the basic Trans-European transport network to the Western Balkans: the construction of the highway from Niš to the Merdare administrative crossing and the construction of the Belgrade Bypass and the highway BelgradePožega-Boljare (Montenegrin border).

Alongside the aforementioned projects, equal importance is given to investments in the development of multimodal transport solutions and the introduction of intelligent transport systems (ITS) that aim to ensure more efficient transport services and the reduction of CO2 emissions, but also to raise the level of traffic safety. The broad availability and use of information and communication technologies in public transport systems has the potential to make them “smarter”, with a reduced negative impact on the environment and adapted to cater to the needs of users.

In the following five-year period, and with the help of the World Bank, significant financial resources will be invested in projects aimed at improving trade and transport in the Western Balkans, as well as in the railway modernisation project. Reducing the costs of trade and improving the efficiency of transport in the Western Balkans, as well as the institutional, physical and operational modernisation of the railway sector, will contribute to faster economic integration

In the following five-year period, and with the help of the World Bank, significant financial resources will be invested in projects aimed at improving trade and transport in the Western Balkans, as well as in the railway modernisation project within the region, but also testify to the clear prospects of EU accession.

The Republic of Serbia will implement its ambitious five-year investment plan for transport infrastructure, with a total of around nine billion euros, in a sustainable manner and in accordance with the EU’s guidelines for the development of transport networks.

Infrastructure projects represent just one aspect of work on improving the transport sector and raising the level of transport services and standards to the European level. The main activities and cooperation, both through projects financed from European Union funds and through regional cooperation within theTransport Community

and EU macro-regional strategies for the Danube and Adriatic-Ionian region, aim to improve road safety and advance rail and water transport, as modes of transport that are favourable to the preservation of the environment. Within the scope of the aforementioned cooperation, priority topics are discussed and experiences are exchanged to ensure the improvement of the legislative and administrative framework, which – in addition to investments in infrastructure – will contribute to the development of the entire transport sector and raising it to the level of European and world standards.

By applying EU rules in the transport sector, and as part of the EU accession process, the Republic of Serbia will certainly follow the guidelines for the development of trans-European transport networks.

The trans-European network acquis will be implemented through the strengthening of administrative capacities and the defining of clear transport policies and transport development strategies. Through the fostering of partnerships in the development and maintenance of the trans-European network in the region, infrastructure projects will represent both the backbone of connectivity and an invaluable platform for the exchange of knowhow and experience.

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INTERVIEW

ALEKSANDRA DAMJANOVIĆ, STATE SECRETARY

More Efficient, Faster And

SIMPLER PROCEDURES We are witnessing a trend of constant growth in the number of applications for construction permits and approvals for building, as well as the number of issued acts, and this is undoubtedly a result of the simplification, increased efficiency and speeding up of procedures that electronic solutions have brought us

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he procedure for issuing construction permits and other acts of the relevant authorities in the process of constructing facilities (from location conditions to usage permits) has been carried out electronically since 1st January 2016, through the Central Register of Administrative Procedures (CEOP), which represents a unique, central, public, electronic database that contains statistics on the course of each individual case according to the requirements related to the construction, extension and reconstruction of facilities, decisions and other acts that arise in the unified procedure, as well as all documentation enclosed and obtained through those procedures.

With the introduction of the CEOP, it has been made possible for applicants parties - to obtain all required acts in the process of constructing facilities through a unique electronic “one-stop shop system”, where the bodies responsible for issuing these acts collect, on behalf of the party, all necessary documents available through the public records of other bodies, organisations and holders of public jurisdiction.

The party is thereby freed from the need to collect all the necessary documentation on their own, while the procedure is also more efficient, faster and simpler for applicants, bearing in mind that all communication between the competent authorities is carried out electronically, via the CEOP.

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Serving as an indicator of the extremely positive effects of introducing the CEOP is precisely the improved situation in the area of construction, and that progress can be best seen by drawing a comparison between public statistical indicators before and after its introduction. We would emphasise the fact that there has been a constant growth trend in the number of construction permits and approvals for building, as well as the number of issued acts, since the introduction of the CEOP, which is actually a direct result of the simplification, increased efficiency and speeding up of procedures.

The following table shows the number of issued construction permits and approvals for building in the period since the introduction of the CEOP until today, at the level of the Republic of Serbia, as well as the number of these acts that have been issued by the Ministry of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure. ne-stop counter system for cadasO tral registration The e-Counter has simplified and accelerated the procedure for entering cadastral data related to real estate with the competent services, as well as the procedure for calculating and collecting property taxes. With this service, we’ve eased the procedure for applicants, because the competent authorities take action – by submitting and obtaining the documents required to implement the procedure – and the client, as an e-Counter user, has access at any time to the necessary data and information available to them via this service: complete communication history, submitted and processed requests, as well as the current status of the case.

Considering that, in the exercising of their public jurisdictions, public administration bodies and other bodies and organisations make decisions or bring acts that provide the basis for data on

real estate to be entered into the competent real estate cadastral services, the e-Counter has made it possible for these bodies and organisations – in their capacity as executors of official submission – to submit these acts to the competent real estate cadastral services.

With the introduction of this information system, parts of activities have been automated, efficiency in processing requests has been increased and the need to visit real estate cadastral services has been reduced. Moreover, via this service the Tax Administrations, Local Tax Administrations and companies responsible for the unified collection of utility services are able to access notarial deeds (and tax returns), which is a way of simplifying the procedure of calculating and collecting property taxes, while land surveying organisations can communicate

With the introduction of the e-Counter system, the efficiency of processing requests has been increased and the need to visit real estate cadastral services has been reduced electronically, via the e-Counter, with the Republic Geodetic Authority and its narrower organisational units, in accordance with the Law on the Registration Procedure in the Real Estate Cadastre and Plans and the Law on State Survey and Cadastre, in procedures connected to the registration of real estate data.

E-Space The E-Space project aims to introduce an electronic data exchange system between holders of public jurisdictions in the process of preparing planning documents.

The E-Space project will apply a unified procedure in the process of compiling planning documents and represents a reform to the

system of real estate public records, as well as the manner and procedure through which planning documents are prepared, which will additionally shorten procedures and end the need to issue location information (this data will be publicly available), while citizens will be better informed about the possibilities and limitations of construction, which enables a timely response in the case that there are possible abuses and construction works that are contrary to the planning document.

The main objective of the E-Space project is to unify information from the real estate cadastre and planning documents, which will be publicly available to everyone in electronic form, making it possible to obtain information for each cadastral parcel on construction possibilities and restrictions, i.e. on the prohibiting of construction. It will also be possible to digitise and update data from the real estate cadastre and process that data quicker, easier and more efficiently, while planning documents will be produced in digital form, on updated bases.

E-Space shortens and accelerates the process of drafting planning documents, thus rendering the stage of collecting data and forming the base information for drafting plans more efficient. The participation of citizens will be more represented and of higher quality, with the enabling of digital insight into planning documents, while interested members of the public and citizens will be able to submit initiatives, remarks and suggestions in digital form, via internet applications.

With the E-Space project it will also be possible to better archive planning documentation and improve accessibility for everyone, which is important given that plans have the force of regulations following the adoption of planning documents. The E-Space project will improve the Central Register of Planning Documents and ease the use of data contained in planning documents.

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

PERMITS ISSUED BY THE MCTI (SOURCE: CEOP)

113

142

149

321

288

55*

PERMITS ISSUED AT THE NATIONAL RS LEVEL (SOURCE: RS STATISTICAL OFFICE)

12671

18477

19484

21844

22625

4524*

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FUTURE OF TRANSPORTATION

Driverless, Clean

AND EQUITABLE The digitalisation of transport is expected to propel safer, friendlier and more equitable solutions.

As part of the Digital Single Market Strategy, the European Commission aims to make more use of smart solutions to improve the way we use transport systems, as passengers and the economy.

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ising traffic demand, congestion, security of energy supply and climate change are just some of the major issues being faced by the European Union and the wider world. And therefore the developing of a comprehensive strategy for sustainable and smart mobility, and ensuring a transport sector that’s fit for a clean, digital and modern economy, represent some of the most important tasks of the European Commissioner for Transport.

Rising traffic demand, congestion, security of energy supply and climate change are just some of the major issues being faced by the European Union and the wider world. And therefore the developing of a comprehensive strategy for sustainable and smart mobility, 48

and ensuring a transport sector that’s fit for a clean, digital and modern economy, represent some of the most important tasks of the European Commissioner for Transport.

The long list of tasks includes the promotion of sustainable and alternative transport fuels for road, maritime and air transport, the modernisation of transport systems, such as connected and automated mobility, with a strong focus on digital innovation, swiftly completing the missing infrastructure links and the Trans-European Transport Network, and ensuring passenger rights while respecting the need for transport to remain affordable, reliable and accessible, particularly for low-income households and those in remote areas, as well as improving connectivity links,

particularly in the EU’s neighbourhood and across the Western Balkans.

If these goals are fulfilled, everything about the way we get around and how we live our lives is set to change profoundly. The Joint Research Centre (JRC), the Commission’s science and knowledge service, called it a perfect storm of new technologies and new business models that will transform the way we think about our vehicles and the way we think about transportation.

Road and railway transportation will be automated, connected and low-carbon, and will include shared mobility. This profound transformation will include changes in data governance, infrastructures, communication technologies and cybersecurity, as well as

CONSTRUCTION, TRANSPORT AND INFRASTRUCTURE 2021

legislation. Furthermore, this new approach will have deep impacts on the economy, employment and skills, energy use and emissions, the sustainability of raw materials, democracy, privacy and social fairness, as well as on the urban context.

These massive changes that are on the horizon represent an opportunity to move towards a transport system that is more efficient, safer, less polluting and more accessible to larger parts of society than is suggested by the current one, which is centred on car ownership.

In order for new transport technologies to make our lives better, the transport systems and policies have to live up to the demands of the 21st century. The improvement of governance and the development of innovative mobility solutions are crucial to ensuring a cleaner and more equitable future.

With its annual revenue stream of seven trillion euros, transport attracts disruptive technology companies that are not interested in preserving the current model in the way it

Swiftly completing the missing infrastructure links and the TransEuropean Transport Network, as well as improving connectivity links, particularly in the EU’s neighbourhood and across the Western Balkans, represent important goals within the current EU portfolio works now. Today there are flexible options, like electric bikes and scooters, and soon modular automated shuttles may make public transport more accessible. The JRC study on road transportation in the EU envisages innovations that can slash costs and spur demand, while full automation will leave drivers without jobs. On the other hand, electrification will simplify production and lower running costs, while sharing can increase profits by making vehicles work 24/7 and use the road more efficiently.

JRC sees this technological upheaval as a unique opportunity to turn the transport sector upside down and make it more efficient and rational. “For example,” reads the study “greater automation and connectivity may allow for regulated access to the road which, in turn,

could bring substantial benefits for traffic flow, transport efficiency and energy consumption”.

The research unit of the European Commission warns that, in particular, policymakers must take into account the fact that transport systems are extremely complex and their elements can often influence one another.

For example, it is expected that the railway sector will take a larger share of transport demand over the next few decades. The European Commission is working towards the creation of a Single European Railway Area and has promoted a modal shift from road to rail in order to achieve a more competitive and resource-efficient European transport system.

Indeed, according to the study “30 by 2030 - Rail Freight Strategy”, railways are becoming an attractive option to boost modal shift. For example, rail freight has a six-times lower specific energy consumption, mainly due to its intrinsic and persistent physical advantage of the low friction of steel wheels running on steel rails. This translates into six-times lower external costs compared to road transport, regardless of the energy source. In light of accelerating climate change, this makes current costs of rail transportation more advantageous than at present. The study claims that a higher modal share of 30% rail freight by 2030 is a better macroeconomic solution for European transport growth. However, this estimate was made before COVID-19 and assumed that there will be no further financial crises with a devastating impact on European industry and transport. Although we are today aware of the consequences of the pandemic, the EU is sticking firmly to its vision.

Yet whether the railway will prevail depends on many things. For example, projections of transport market growth suggest that the portion of goods with a low affinity to rail will increase, while goods with a high affinity to rail are likely to see a negative trend.

Furthermore, autonomous driving is expected to reduce the specific cost of road transport by substantial double-digit percentages by 2030. The study also suggests that in rail, asset replacement cycles are up to 10 times longer, which naturally limits the rate of innovation uptake, in the context of a relatively small rail freight supply market.

Unfortunately, providing sustainable financing models for rail freight undertakings is currently not a priority for many national policymakers, as they don’t see rail as the backbone or even an important part of mobility.

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NEWS

Serbia Is A Huge

CONSTRUCTION SITE Judging by the funds of the 2021 national budget that have been allocated for construction, transport and infrastructure, investments in capital projects in Serbia will be intensified this year.

According to the announcement of Minister Momirović, Serbia will be a huge construction site bustling with machines and workers MORAVIAN CORRIDOR CONSTRUCTION ACCELERATING

TOTAL OF 126.3 BILLION DINARS FOR 49 PROJECTS

Serbia’s national budget for 2021 envisages the allocating of a total of 126.3 billion dinars for 49 projects headed by the Ministry of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure. Accordingly, 40.5 billion dinars has been envisaged for the project of the Hungarian-Serbian high-speed railway, with 4.5 billion dinars for the construction of the Belgrade-Sarajevo highway and 1.1 billion dinars for construction of the Niš-Pločnik 50

section of the Niš-Merdare Highway.

Other planned projects also include the construction of the Preljina-Požega highway section, with 10.5 billion dinars earmarked to fund this project over the coming year, and 15 billion dinars for the Pojate-Preljina section of the highway.

A total of 8.5 billion dinars has been envisaged for the construction of the Ruma-ŠabacLoznica link road, as well as 2.6 billion dinars for the construction of the Novi Sad-Ruma expressway and 4.72 billion dinars for the Iverak-Lajkovac expressway. Some 6.3 billion dinars has been earmarked for construction of the section of the Belgrade Bypass that includes a bridge over the Sava near Ostružnica-Bubanj potok, with 1.03 billion dinars planned for the construction of the new bridge spanning the Sava in Belgrade.

Construction of the Moravian Corridor is set to be completed in accordance with the agreed dynamics and goals, thanks to the harmonising of all essential activities. This has been confirmed by Construction, Transport and Infrastructure Minister Tomislav Momirović, who held a working meeting with representatives of Bechtel Enke in mid-March, in an effort to speed up work on this important project.

“The Moravian Corridor will be the first digital highway in Serbia, making it one of the most important transport routes. The construction of this road will increase accessibility to municipal centres, economic zones and tourist destinations. This will be a magnificent roadway that will be the pride of future generations. It is being constructed to handle the maximum permitted speed of 130 kilometres per hour. A total of 11 slip roads and 130 other facilities will be built, including 71 bridges, 23 overpasses, five underpasses and 31 culverts,” noted Minister Momirović.

SELF-SUSTAINABLE CITY PROJECT TO REPRESENT SERBIA IN SEOUL “Self-Sustainable City”, a project of Belgrade architect Danilo Dangubić, has been selected through a major competition to represent

CONSTRUCTION, TRANSPORT AND INFRASTRUCTURE 2021

Serbia at this September’s Seoul Biennale of Architecture and Urbanism. His work will be exhibited in the South Korean capital alongside another 39 works that have been selected among 1,440 competition entries from around the world.

spaces, green areas, traffic solutions and communication, supporting functions, the organisation of apartments, structural assemblies, materialisation, details and other subtopics relevant to experts, the general public and direct users, i.e. residents.

CONCEPTUAL PARK EMERGING AT MARINA DORĆOL

The selection was based on the project SelfSustaining Belgrade, which was developed by Dangubić’s own architectural studio, “Danilo Dangubić Architects”.

“A “self-sustaining city” is a city that has the capacity to survive and continue living despite everything that happens to it. And I absolutely recognised Belgrade in that. Destroyed and conquered 44 times in 1,100 years, it has passed from occupier to occupier, endured bombings etc. One of the subtopics was the capacity of architects and architecture to utilise the subterranean part, using the land as space for construction. I chose Belgrade precisely because it has returned to its womb whenever it’s been in trouble. It has descended into its underground passages, caves and abandoned quarries. Belgrade lives with its womb,” explains Dangubić.

16TH BINA SCHEDULED FOR APRIL

Russian sculptor Alexander Rukavishnikov, creator of Belgrade’s newly erected monument to King Stefan Nemanja, will be in charge of arranging a conceptual park on the territory of Marina Dorćol. The park will be situated in the vicinity of the former “Power and Light” thermal power plant, where the Nikola Tesla Museum is set to be relocated, and will include sculptures that Rukavishnikov will create together with other young sculptors from Serbia and other countries.

“We discussed a new project that will be done in Belgrade, and that is the arranging of a conceptual park based on the example of Barcelona’s Güell Park,” said Deputy Mayor of Belgrade Goran Vesić after his meeting with Rukavishnikov, noting that the park will cover an area of approximately 6.6 hectares TIRŠOVA 2 AND DEDINJE 2 RANKED AMONG MOST IMPORTANT PROJECTS

The sixteenth edition of Belgrade International Architecture Week - BINA is set to take place from 22nd April to 20th May, under the organisation of the Association of Belgrade Architects and the Cultural Centre of Belgrade.

This year’s BINA programme will focus on the Belgrade School of housing, which – with its great breadth – encompasses urbanisation solutions, residential complexes, public

A total of 200 million euros has been allocated for investments that will be made via the Serbian Government’s Public Investment Management Office this year. Among the projects that are considered as being the most important are those in the field of healthcare, which includes the construction of the Tiršova

2 University Children’s Clinic and the Dedinje 2 Institute for Cardiovascular Diseases.

According to Marko Blagojević, director of the Public Investment Management Office, the project to construct the Tiršova 2 clinic is worth the most, with around 100 million euros having been allocated to finance the project, which corresponds to the estimated costs of construction and the procuring of necessary equipment.

The Public Investment Management Office doesn’t work exclusively on projects related to healthcare, as great attention is also paid to investments in educational facilities. Works are well underway on the construction of the new building of the Faculty of Organisational Sciences in Belgrade, which should become operational in November, while works on several dozen primary schools throughout Serbia are scheduled to be completed by the end of this year.

NEW HIGH-SPEED RAILWAY ENTERING FINAL CONSTRUCTION PHASE

Construction of the Belgrade to Novi Sad section of the new high-speed railway is entering its final phase, with works set to be completed by the end of this year. Accordingly, parallel preparations have been launched for the start of works on the section between Novi Sad and Subotica, according to an announcement of enterprise Serbian Railways Infrastructure.

All upcoming activities related to this project have been discussed by the management and expert services of Serbian Railways Infrastructure and representatives of the consortium of Chinese companies China Railway International and China Communications Construction Company.

The Novi Sad-Subotica railway, covering a distance of 108 kilometres, is the third section through Serbia within the scope of the international project to construct the Belgrade-Budapest high-speed railway. The contract is valued at around 1.16 billion dollars, while the deadline for completion is 33 months from the initial launch of works.

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