“Today’s meeting speaks of the Western Balkan’s dedicated and accelerated work on boosting connectivity, which will result in strengtening internal stability and competitiveness of our region, encouraging growth and creation of new jobs. Infrastructural connectivity will bring economic growth and create new opportunities, and, at the same time, it will reduce migratory pressure on EU borders,” Montenegro’s Prime Minister Milo Đukanović stated at the meeting of heads of government of the Western Balkan Six in Brussels earlier today.
PM Đukanović explained that the core transport network in the Western Balkans will be focused on high-quality connectivity of capital cities, economic centers and major ports, which is to be achieved by 2030, with financial support of EU instruments and international financial organisations.
“Our goal is not to build the broadest regional core network, but to focus on the most important aspects that can be implemented by 2030, which would contribute to the creation of an added value to the overall process and insure each country’s commitment to the same goal. This is the only way to make sure that efforts, capacities and resources will be valorised in a proper manner and have a multiplier effect on the economy of our region,” PM Đukanović underlined.
He reiterated Montenegro’s commitment to implementing projects of deepening regional cooperation in the areas of road infrastructure and energy, such as the Adriatic-Ionian Gas Pipeline (IAP), as a continuation of the Trans-Adriatic pipeline (TAP) project, underwater enegry cable between Montenegro and Italy, Bar-Boljare highway ( direction – 4B-Budumpešta-Belgrade-Bar-Bari), Adriatic-Ionian highway and revitalisation of the Bar-Belgrade railway.
Prime Minister Đukanović said that Montenegro presented concrete proposals for the establishment of the core regional transport network on its territory at the Pristina’s conference involving:
• SEETO roadway 4: Bar-Boljare highway (border with Serbia);
• SEETO roadway 1: Adriatic-Ionian corridor (fast traffic route along the coastline), as a connection to Croatia and Albania;
• SEETO railway line 4: Bar-Vrbnica railway (border with Serbia);
• SEETO railway line 2: Podgorica-Tirana railway (link with Albania) and
• the Port of Bar.
“I believe that all countries, including Montenegro, have recognised the importance of the integrated approach in developing transport networks. Through coordinated development of physical infrastructure and horisontal policy measures, we can make an additional incentive to the development of the transport system, which should respond to modern and dynamic needs of our societies,” Montenegro’s Prime Minister concluded at the Western Balkan Six meeting in Brussels.
