Western Balkans Summit Vienna 2015: Focus on Infrastructure

One of the central topics of Western Balkans Summit, held in Vienna, was the improvement of the connectivity of the countries in the region. Ten priority infrastructure projects were proposed in the field of transport (6) and energy (4), that will be co-financed by the European Union, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), European Investment Bank (EIB) and German Development Bank (KfW).

European Union, through its Intstruments of Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA) will co-finance two projects in Serbia – the intermodal terminal in Belgrade, and the rail interconnection with Macedonia.

EIB will co-finance projects in Bosnia and Hercegovina (road interconnections with Croatia) and Montenegro (rail interconnection with Serbia).

EBRD will participate in the financing of two projects, a transport project in Kosovo (rail interconnection with Serbia and Macedonia), and an energy infrastructure project in Macedonia (energy grid in Macedonia, as a part of interconnection with Albania).

KfW will co-finance three projects in the energy field – Grid Sections in Albania (part of the Albania-Macedonia interconnection), and Montenegro and Serbia (part of the Trans-Balkan Energy Corridor).

In total, the listed institutions will participate with 205.7 million EUR, which is 33% of the total investments in the infrastructure of the West Balkan countries worth 616.5 million EUR.