September 18 (SeeNews) - Serbia may complete the Kopaonik ski resort gondola lift construction project funded by the European Investment Bank (EIB) ahead of schedule, tourism minister Rasim Ljajic said.
The gondola lift may be opened for tourists as early as this winter season, Ljajic said in a government statement.
Serbia is financing the construction of the 3,700 metres-long gondola lift through a 27 million euro ($32 million) loan extended by EIB, the government sad.
In March, Italian company Leitner won a 22.5 million euro turnkey contract for the construction of the gondola lift as leader of aconsortium that also includes Serbian companies Brzmin, Elkoms, Deling, Ornament Invest inzenjering, Estuar and Zapis pro.
The gondola lift will link the villages of Brzece and Mali Karaman in the vicinity of Kopaonik. The deadline for its completion is 365 days after the start of construction works, according to tender documents published by state-run ski infrastructure operator Skijalista Srbije.
($ = 0.8437 euro)