Minister of Construction, Transport, and Infrastructure, Goran Vesić, stated today that the contribution of the construction industry to the total GDP of Serbia is 5.5%, which, as he mentioned, is much higher compared to ten years ago when the contribution was three percent.
“The value of all completed works in the past year in Serbia reached nearly 5.5 billion euros, while in 2013, the value of all construction works in Serbia was 1.6 billion euros. We have seen an increase of 3.2 times,” said Vesić at the Serbian-Greek Business Forum in Belgrade.
He added that there is also an increase in the value of completed works, noting that in the fourth quarter of last year, there was a growth of 13.9% compared to the same period in 2022.
“The total value of construction works in the territory of Serbia in 2022 increased by about 16.1%, and we also have an increase in the number of construction permits. Few countries in Europe currently experience growth in the construction industry,” emphasized Vesić.
He stated that the overall investments in infrastructure in 2023 amounted to 3.8 billion euros, and it is expected to reach nearly four billion euros in 2024.
“This is an opportunity for Greek companies,” Vesić conveyed at the business forum attended by entrepreneurs from Serbia and Greece.
Vesić expressed gratitude to his Greek counterpart with whom, as he stated, he has agreed on several joint projects, primarily the construction of a high-speed railway connecting Budapest and Athens.
“At the moment, we have a 76-kilometer high-speed railway between Belgrade and Novi Sad, heading north towards Budapest. By the end of this year, we will complete an additional 108 kilometers, meaning we will have a total of 184 kilometers of high-speed railway. When the Hungarians finish their part of the railway in 2026, which is just over 150 kilometers, we will have a high-speed railway between Belgrade and Budapest, with a travel time of just under four hours,” said Vesić.
Vesić highlighted that a recent contract with the European Union has been signed for the construction of a railway towards Niš, spanning 230 kilometers, with an EU grant of 610 million euros. He added that in the coming period, all three tenders for supervision will be announced.
“This is an opportunity for all companies with experience in railway construction to apply for this tender,” he stated.
The Minister also reminded that a memorandum has been signed with the government of North Macedonia for the continuation of the railway from Niš to Skopje.
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