“The main project is in its final phase these days and we expect the major works to be intensified these days. The government is issuing all necessary permits”, Lazovic said after the signing of a document which regulates the obligations relating to the donation of ambulance emergency response vehicles with the Ambassador of China, Cui Zhiwei.
Asked when the works on the highway would start, Lazovic said they had already begun.
“Now the question is what you mean when you say works. This is an extremely demanding project and we all share this impatience to see the first kilometres of the highway constructed, but we should bear in mind the configuration of the terrain – it is not a flatland, so that the paved ground can immediately be seen”, Lazovic said.
He reminded that there were extremely demanding facilities such as tunnels and bridges.
“In the last eight or nine months, the access roads and camps have been completed. A lot has been done in terms of power and water supply as well”, Lazovic said, explaining that it was necessary to be done in order to ensure an efficient approach to the project.
Asked about the construction of the highway, Zhiwei said that the Chinese and Montenegrin partners have good communication and that they achieved great consensus on many issues.
“I think we can expect the works to start soon. I am aware that the preparations have been long, but I believe that the China Road and Bridge Corporation (CRBC) will complete the project on time and according to the contract”, Zhiwei said.
He said that it was the first large infrastructure in the history of Montenegro.
“There is a saying in China – a good start means a half success”, Zhiwei said.
The construction of the 41km long priority section began on 11 May last year and then the four year period during which the Chinese company shall complete the works began.
The price is €19.7m per kilometre and it is defined by the facilities along the route.
The contract on design and construction of priority sections of the highway was signed with Chinese companies CRBC and China Communications Construction Company (CCCC).
Commenting on the construction of the Thermal Power Plant (TE) Pljevlja second block, Lazovic said that negotiations with the Czech company Skoda Praha were being finalised and that agreement on technical details was reached.
“We expect that the agreement related to the price would be finalised no later than the next two or three weeks. We count that €338m price offered by Skoda Praha can be reduced”, said Lazovic.
He explained that the activities were being carried out in three directions, ie negotiations with the contractor, the negotiations with the financier, Czech Export Bank, and negotiations with the Czech government which an interstate agreement should be signed with.
“We have reached an agreement with our Italian partner A2A that the Electric Power Company of Montenegro (EPCG) will be the corporate guarantor for financing, ie it will issue a guarantee for the loan for the TE second block construction”, Lazovic said.
According to him, the mosaic will be completed in the coming days, when they will be able to turn to Parliament and submit the interstate agreement.
Skoda Praha has been selected as a winning bidder for the TE second block construction for €388m. According to the tender, the contractor shall provide the investor with the funds up to 5 per cent of the investment and the Czech company arranged issuing a loan by the local Exim Bank.
