Contract signed for the further implementation of the Tram Infrastructure Modernization Project in Osijek worth €22.5 million

Vice President of the Government and Minister of the Sea, Transport and Infrastructure Oleg Butković and the director of Osijek's City Passenger Transport Goran Pajnić signed a €22.5 million grant agreement on Wednesday, July 24th for the second phase of tram infrastructure modernisation in the eastern city. Osijek Mayor Ivan Radić and the director of The Central Finance and Contracting Agency for European Union programmes and projects (CFCA) Dragan Jelić were also among attending.

The grant agreement will enable further improvements in modernizing the tram infrastructure in the City of Osijek including, among other things, the renovation of 9.5 km of railway, the construction of an underground cable network, as well as the modernization of 23 tram stops.

"Osijek is one of the few cities in Croatia that has managed to include all modes of transport in its investment cycle in a short time," Butković told the press after the signing.

He listed several other projects realised in cooperation with Osijek, such as an underpass worth €7 million, the construction of a bulk cargo terminal (€35m), and the renovated railway station building (€5m).

"Last year, a contract was signed for 10 low-floor trams under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan worth €25 million, and the City Passenger Transport company acquired 25 new buses through two projects totaling €6.7 million," said Butković.

Osijek Mayor Ivan Radić said the modernisation of tram infrastructure was one of the largest projects in the city, with a total value of €45 million.

"We started the modernisation in the spring of 2022, and it will be completed by next spring, resulting in 9.5 kilometers of new tram network and 23 new stops adapted for people with disabilities, which is a requirement for low-floor trams," he added.

The City of Osijek will soon submit a request to the transport ministry for an additional ten new low-floor trams, said Radić.

Director of the CFCA Dragan Jelić pointed out the success of collaboration with the City of Osijek is based on number of valuable contracts, therefore making the most out of European funding programmes, while benefiting the overall living and infrastructural standard of the city.

The completion of Corridor 5C, which extends to the Hungarian border, is expected next year, said Butković. Funds have also been secured for the Metković-Dubrovnik motorway, which is currently in the public procurement process.

"It's now just a matter of contracting the project and obtaining the necessary permits, which is under way. I can't say exactly when we'll sign the contract because we have to respect the appeal process," he added.

(Hina)

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