December 8 (SeeNews) - The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) said it will lend 8 million euro ($9.03 million) to Serbia's city of Novi Sad for the purchase of up to ten electric buses and accompanying infrastructure.
The new buses will help Serbia's second-largest city reduce air pollution in the city centre, and cut carbon emissions by at least 25% by replacing the diesel buses on the city's busiest routes, EBRD said in a statement on Tuesday.
"We are pleased to step up our cooperation with Novi Sad and to provide further support for greener public transport in the city. Supporting Serbia’s cities and economy in becoming greener is at the top of our agenda for the country and we are eager to scale up our support, both to the public and private sectors," Matteo Colangeli, EBRD Regional Director for the Western Balkans and Head of Serbia, noted.
The EBRD will also provide the city with technical assistance related to the preparation of tender documents, as well as with managing environmental and social elements of the project, the statement added.
The investment is a part of the EBRD's Green Cities sustainable infrastructure program, via which it already enabled Novi Sad to procure 29 new buses. The vehicles came into use six months ago.
The move is also a part of Novi Sad's Green Cities Action Plan, meant to uphold the green agenda and expected to be adopted in 2022.