Dačić: Joint projects prove "brotherly relations"

Dačić: Joint projects prove "brotherly relations"

BELGRADE -- Ivica Dačić said on Tuesday the successful realization of a Russian loan for railway modernization was "an indicator of brotherly and friendly relations."

The outgoing Serbian prime minister also described it as "a step forward towards establishing ever close economic ties between the two countries, which would help Serbia's overall social development."

Speaking at a ceremony marking the start of the work on the construction of the second railway track from the Pančevo Bridge to Pančevo, which is funded from the Russian loan, Dačić stated that it was just one of the joint projects between Serbia and Russia, stressing that he was proud the construction of the gas pipeline South Stream began during his government.

"We will continue all the projects that we have started with the Russian Federation and we want new ones as well. So I wish for this work to be finished within the deadline and be another indicator of our successful cooperation and development of our brotherly and friendly relations," he noted.

"The development of the railway is one of the keys of our development and an important factor in Serbia's future economic growth," he pointed out.

"May the friendship between Serbia and the Russian Federation and between the Serbian and Russian people live on," the prime minister concluded.

Construction begins

The upgrade of Serbian railways, financed with a USD 800 million Russian loan, began in Pančevo on Tuesday with the construction of the second track of the Belgrade-Pančevo railway, and works were declared open by Serbian President Tomislav Nikolić.

The ceremony brought together...