Corridors crucial for increasing trade with Turkey

BELGRADE - Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Zorana Mihajlovic conferred on Friday with Turkey's Ambassador to Serbia Mehmet Kemal Bozay on the promotion of economic cooperation between the two countries, infrastructure development and improvement of road safety.

During the meeting, the officials stressed the importance of completing the construction of Corridors 10 and 11, which would increase the volume of trading and transit through Serbia, having in mind the country's central position in the region, Serbian Ministry of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure stated in a release.

"Turkey-based companies have also expressed interest in increasing freight transport capacities of the Serbian railways, considering that a Turkish investor owns a majority stake in the Port of Bar Container Terminal," the release states.

Due to a large number of Turkish citizens traveling from Western Europe through Serbia, Turkey is very interested in helping Serbia's efforts to improve road safety, the release adds.

The ambassador informed Mihajlovic about Turkish investors' plans to build a rest and service area next to the highway near Aleksinac, with an aim to reduce the number of traffic accidents and boost tourism.

An agreement was made to extend the permits for Turkish air carriers until June 30, while negotiations between the Serbian and Turkish civil aviation directorates will continue in the meantime, with the Ministry of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure as a mediator.

The talks on the realization of road rehabilitation and construction projects in the Raska region will continue, in order to reach more favorable financial terms for Serbia, the officials agreed.

Photo Tanjug, Ministry...