National Investment Council approves 39 infrastructure projects worth 2.4 billion Euros

At the opening of the meeting, Minister of European Integration, Mr. Bekim Çollaku, has announced that five months after the constitutive meeting of the council, it is achieved with an intense work to draft the program of 400 pages of the infrastructure investments consisting of 39 projects: 11 in the field of transport, 13 in energy and 15 in the field of environment, in the amount of 2.4 billion Euros.

“This is the first time that Kosovo institutions have managed to prepare a clear program of infrastructure investment for the next decades. Each identified project is evaluated according to the criteria that were agreed with EU and they were ranked by strategic importance and contribution to economic and social development of the country. Also, every project has passed through the evaluation phase of maturity for investments and commencement of works “, stated Minister Çollaku.

Minister Çollaku also emphasized that this list of projects will serve as a roadmap for future infrastructure investments in Kosovo and it is a basis for the orientation of budget expenditures, donor assistance and financial negotiations with development banks.

Whereas Minister of Finance Mr. Avdullah Hoti spoke about the applications of the Republic of Kosovo to benefit from the next round of the Western Balkans Investment Framework (WBIF) and informed the participants that in the light of successful experience in WBIF, in the 14th round –  opened in August 2015 were approved the following applications such as: detailed design and tender documentation for the second phase of the rehabilitation of the railway line 10, detailed design and tender documentation for the line Fushë Kosovë –Merdare, which includes the second phase of the railway line as well as the continuation of existing project of feasibility study for Lepenci canal.

“Whereas regarding the applications for the next round, respectively 15th round of WBIF for January, we want to inform you that Ministry of Finance and Ministry of European Integration in comprehensive coordination with all the ministries which were able to benefit according to the WBIF conditions, have identified applications from ministries and public enterprises also based on the priorities of the Government of Kosovo that will be submitted in the 15th round of WBIF” explained Minister Hoti.

During this meeting, the Council has also discussed separately the priority lists of projects based in three sectors such as transport, energy and environment, which were presented by the respective ministers. At the same time the Council has also supported 2 applications for the next round of the Western Balkans Investment Framework.

At this meeting, except for ministers and members of the council members, present were also the representatives of embassies and international organizations.

Last year, under the leadership of Chancellor Merkel it was organized the meeting of Western Balkans in Berlin with the view of agreeing on the regional priorities for infrastructure investments in the Western Balkans known as “Connectivity Agenda”.

After the Berlin meeting, they were held three other meetings, namely the meeting in Belgrade, Prishtina and Brussels whereas the progress was consolidated with the Vienna Summit that was held in August of this year. Within the “Western Balkans 6” meetings, the Western Balkan countries agreed to establish the National Investment Councils, an obligation that stems from the process of Berlin. These Councils are the platforms which will discuss the funding plans for each step related to projects from Priority List of Infrastructure Projects. For these projects, EU has foreseen nearly 1 billion Euros within the Berlin Process.

Project for Rehabilitation of Railway line 10 is the first project that will be implemented by the Berlin agenda. Kosovo has benefited the first grant in the amount of 40 million Euros from EU, for the first phase of the project and signed a loan of 39.9 million Euros with EBRD and 42 million Euros by EIB. Kosovo will apply for the second grant from the EU worth of 40 million Euros. Works on line 10 are expected to start in December 2016.