Velimir Ilic
Ilic added that Serbia must not be late with investment in the sector because it will lead to transporters choosing Croatia, Bulgaria, and Romania.
Presenting a bill on railways, Ilic said that the EU has placed a deadline on adoption of this legislation at the end of the year or else Serbia would be erased from the transit map of Europe.
Ilic explained that the bill envisages separation of the railway infrastructure from railway transport in the national railway company ZTP Beograd and defines the role of private transporters in railway traffic.
Ilic also said that subsidies to the national railway company have been downsized by 2.6 billion dinars, as recommended by the European Union and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). He added that this year’s subsidies, of some eight billion dinars, are not so large considering the size of the railway system.
Assistant Minister Branislav Boskovic said ZTP Beograd will become a holding company by 2007.
Boskovic said the bill also envisions the setting up of a directorate for railways, a state regulator for the railway industry, the Beta news agency reported.