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Feasibility study for Morava Channel to be ready within two months

Belgrade, 25 March 2013

Minister of Natural Resources, Mining and Spatial Planning Milan Bacevic stated today that Chinese company China Gezhouba Group Corporation is expected to elaborate a feasibility study for the project of the Morava Channel navigation route.

Milan Bacevic and Dragan Duncic

Speaking at a press conference held after the first meeting of the Serbian-Chinese working group for realisation of this study, Bacevic said that this group consists of experts from various fields.

He explained that the feasibility study will show the justifiability of this project that would be part of the Danube-Morava-Vardar navigation route, and added that Serbia will not pay anything for the preparation of the feasibility study as that is envisaged by the protocol signed.

The Minister said that the Serbian side handed over to its Chinese partners the documents that are required for the study, and added that the talks on a possible start of works and the signing of the agreement might take place in the middle or late this year.

The construction of the Morava Channel is a big development opportunity for Serbia, Bacevic reiterated, adding that this navigation route would connect Western and Central Europe with Eastern Europe and the Aegean Sea by the shortest route.

He recalled that at a meeting of CEFTA in Skopje, the project of construction of the Danube-Morava-Vardar channel was rated as the most important infrastructure project for the Balkan Peninsula.

The Minister also announced that he will soon meet with the Prime Minister and the President of Macedonia in order to discuss the possibility of participation of that country in the implementation of this project.

Acting Director of the Serbian Agency for Spatial Planning Dragan Duncic said that the spatial plan for the construction of the Morava Channel should be completed by the end of July.

The plan will be multifunctional and apart from the navigation system, it will include parts relating to the protection of the environment and agriculture, and flood and erosion control, and will take into account natural and economic and social aspects, namely cities, ports, industrial and customs zones, Duncic explained.