Over the past four years of my term of office, a lot has been done in many areas of transport and I can say that I am very satisfied, said to Pobjeda Minister of Transport and Maritime Affairs, Mr Osman Nurković.
“There were so many challenges, doubts, changes in situation, circumstances. This year has brought challenges we haven’t been faced before and that we couldn’t foresee. Solutions we have adopted as a response to these challenges are the result of work and fast reaction of the entire collective”, Mr Nurković said.
MARITIME AFFAIRS
Minister reminded that he had formed a special directorate tasked with dealing with issues that were crucial to this sector.
“Progress in the sector of maritime economy is visible and measurable- Establishment of the proposal for the law on maritime and agency activities, which has regulated this important area for the first time”, Minister said.
He said that several concession agreements had been reached.
“I would like to mention agreement on the concession for the Shipyard in Bijela. A 12-year concession has been granted to the Port Kotor company, annex IV to the agreement was signed with the port Bar”, Minister said.
He pointed out that the Government had adopted Strategy for the Development of Maritime Economy 2020-2030 with the Action plan.
“I firmly believe this Strategy will recover one of our most important resources”, Minister said.
He says Ministry knows how important Montenegrin seafarers are.
“I think that entire administration must be a good and reliable partner in order for this human resource to be preserved”, Mr Nurković said.
He added that IPA project had approved €2,44 million for the construction of Port Virpazar.
RAILWAY
Minister Nurković said that, during his term of office, many railway infrastructure projects had been carried oput.
“The most important are: reconstruction of the railroad in sections Sutomore-Virpazar, Kos-Trebješica, dismantling existing and procurement and installation of the new EVP facility in Trebješica station, replacement of the signaling-safety system in the station in Podgorica, recovery of six slants in the section of Kolašin-Podgorica railroad, recovery of the railway bridge Trebaljevo, as well as works referring to the recovery of a great number of bridges in the Bar railroad and slants on the Nikšić railway”, Minister said.
He said that a huge progress has been made in the use of funds of the Western Investment framework.
Minister said that strategic framework for the development of railway had been completed. Ministry has been particularly focused on the harmonization of regulations in the area of road traffic with the EU acquis.
Mr Nurković added that the preparation of Study “Reform of the International Line Transport of Passengers” was under way. This study will be basis for the further reform of national legislation concerning organization of inter-city line transport.
“Analysis on the accessibility of elements of bus stations has been carried out as well as Project of the preparation of technical documentation for the development of information system for the needs of the road traffic sector”, Mr Nurković said.
Speaking about EU funds, Minister said that the Ministry had concluded agreements from OPRD 2012-2013 programs in the amount of €8,2 million.
Minister also reminded that in June 2019 ,Government adopted Strategy for Development of Transport 2019-2035.
AIRPORTS
According to Mr Nurković, valorization and long-term development of Montenegrin airports have been recognized as priorities in this term of office.
“Concession procedure has started and it has two phases, the first finished at the beginning of January. When the epidemic situation allows, the second phase will begin”, Minister announced.
He added that several agreements on air transport had been harmonized with other countries and that all instructions, recommendations and guidelines were implemented regularly.
Minister reminded that the Government had adopted lex specialis with the aim of aiding Montenegro Airlines.
Minister said that first kilometers of highway were set to enter completion phase.
He added that works on creating conditions for the resumption of the implementation of the project were under way.
“We are communicating with everyone who expresses interest in the implementation of other sections”, Minister said.
SEASIDE
Minister said that road along Montenegrin coastal region hadn’t been neglected and that conceptual design and technical documentation for the bypass around Budva were in the preparation phase.
“Rehabilitation of the network of trunk and regional roads is just as important”, Mr Nurković said.
Electronic base of yachts, boats and ships
Mr Nurković said that a lot of work had been done in modernizing system and putting software program for electronic tracking of training and certification of seafarers into function. In addition, electronic database on registered yachts, boats and ships has been put into function as well, and so has the web page of harbor master’s offices in Bar and Kotor which enables to access the application for submitting request for issuing vignettes, getting Information on the exams for seafarers, getting insight into legislative and bylaw acts in the area of maritime affairs.
€42 million for the bypass around Budva
Minister Nurković said that Western Investment framework had provided €14,7 million of technical support in the form of grants for the preparation of tender documentation.
“A total of €42 million has been earmarked for the sub-sector of roads through investment schemes calls and application has been submitted for €54,6 million for the construction of the second section of Bar-Boljare road”, Minister said.
A total of €10,2 million technical support has been earmarked for the preparation of tender documentation for the railway. Investment schemes for the rehabilitation of the railway have provided €70 million, €36 million of which are grants.
Security system in Montenegrin waters in focus
Mr Nurković said that a great deal of activities of the Directorate for Maritime Transport had been focused on the complete security system in our waters.
“I would like to emphasize importance of the adoption of the law on the security of ship and ports, which led to the establishment of the international system of maritime sail”, Minister said.
Talking about the research and exploitation of hydrocarbon in the submarine zone, the law has enabled control and inspection supervision of foreign movable objects and technical inspection and certification of installations for the production of hydrocarbon.
