6 minutes agoInfracos gets 87m euros, no new investment
Periskopi(8 years ago)
(8 years ago)The last three years the biggest grant beneficiary from the European Union is the public company Infrakos, which deals with railway infrastructure management. 87m euros are allocated, but that investments so far are only made on the existing network and no new railway lines have been added. Every year this company [...]
Each year this company benefits grants for maintenance of the railway network worth 800 thousand euros, as well as the Government of Kosovo. Infraco's chief executive chief, Agron Thaci, in an interview for Kosovo Preress has indicated that grants are for rehabilitation of the railway line and that they are spent on starting the project on the ground, but that there is no project that has been launched so far. As for grants from the Government of Kosovo, he says they are for maintenance of the railway network, but the amount of 800 thousand euros he calls minority. Thaci says that as companies ensure that these grants from the EU and the Government of Kosovo are only used for large investments and that they are not for budget expenditures.
As for grants received by the Kosovo government, Thaci says they have managed with them to maintain the railway network, but still says the 800 thousand-euro grant is insufficient.
Despite the huge amount of money this company receives from grants, Chief Chief Chief Thaci says the railway infrastructure in Kosovo is average good. The main problem, he says, is where the crossings are, while the worst infrastructure situation is to be in the tunnels.
Thaci has declared that for 40 years it has not been invested, according to him, what they have done has been routine repairs to keep the situation under control so that citizens' safety is not violated.
Infrako's head says they are currently drafting projects that will start improving and rehabilitation the entire railway network.
For the delay in starting investments, he argues, saying the railway infrastructure is expensive.
According to him, they are now also making the project design of Kosovo-Pristina-Podujevo line and claiming that by 2019 they will finalise this project, then looking for the possibility of financing.
Infracos also manages train stations, where for these stations Chief Infraco Chief Officer Agron Thaci says they are amortised and that it has not been invested for years. He argues that over 30 years has not been invested in maintenance of existing train stations.
Kosovo's railways have a length of 333,951km opened railway line, with a length of 105,784km in stations and 103.4km industrial lines.
