Transport Ministers Sees Motorways, Railroads as Priority

Koper, 11 April

The completion of the Slovenian motorway and railroad network is of key importance for the country, as the 5th and 10th cross-European transport routes cross Slovenia, Minister of Transport Janez Bozic has said in Koper.

Bozic, speaking on Monday at a meeting of a club of entrepreneurs from the Slovenian Istria, added that finising constructing the motorways is scheduled for 2008. He also revealed that almost half of the country's regional roads are in a disastrous state.
A draft resolution on transport policy, presented in early March, aims at a smooth and environmentally friendly transport of goods and people in the country, he said, adding that Slovenia will earmark EUR 18bn until 2023 for road infrastructure.
Bozic pointed out that the priority tasks regarding road construction in the Primorsko region would be the completion of the Rebernice dual carriageway section between Razdrto and Podnanos (SW), which should be finished by the end of 2007.
The end of this year's tourist season will moreover see the beginning of the construction of a dual carriageway tunnel between Koper and Izola (SW).
Meanwhile, the overhaul of the only railroad track between the port of Koper and the Divaca transport hub will begin in 2006 and end in 2008, the year when the construction of a modern dual track rail line between the Koper and Divaca is slated to begin.
The transport minister believes that the EU's wishes for a high-speed railroad track along the Slovenian section of the 5th route are unfeasible, given that the terrain only allows for an average train speed of 160 km/h through the country.
Bozic revealed that he is in favour of the modernisation of the first terminal as well as a construction of the third terminal in the country's only port, while a recently launched construction of a nearby road would link the port with the A3 Razdrto-Koper motorway.
A bill on state guarantees which in the works will speed-up the construction, Bozic believes. The country needs SIT 130bn (EUR 542.58m) for road infrastructure projects, especially those co-financed by the EU.

Transport Ministers Sees Motorways, Railroads as Priority

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