March 19 (SeeNews) - The European Investment Bank (EIB) hopes that the construction of the Nis-Merdare motorway in Serbia will start by the beginning of 2020, the EIB head for the Western Balkans, Dubravka Negre, said on Tuesday.
"We hope that all preparatory works will be completed this year and that construction starts at the end of 2019 or the beginning of next year," Negre said in a video file posted on the website of news agency Tanjug.
EIB approved financing for the project at the end of 2018 and is currently in talks with Serbian partners on the details, Negre also said.
"The preliminary feasibility works have been completed, as the environmental impact study, the main project is being developed and it should serve as a basis for the application for a building permit," she added.
Last month, the Serbian government said the EIB plans to provide 100 million euro ($113.5 million) in financing for the construction of the first section of the Nis-Merdare motorway in southern Serbia, from Nis to Plocnik.
The 77 km Nis-Merdare motorway is part of a road link extending to Albania's capital Tirana and further on to the country's Adriatic port of Durres.
($ = 0.88082 euro)