Serbia’s railway investment pipeline is being slowed by uneven project preparation and implementation, the European Commission said, with work still not started on the contracted Stalac-Djunis subsection. The modernisation programme has attracted EU attention and financing, but signed contracts and funding have not guaranteed construction.
The Commission says stronger preparatory work is needed to support budgeting and project development. Serbia’s capacity to finance railway investment has outpaced its capacity to deliver projects, limiting how quickly investment becomes operating infrastructure.
Rail investment can lower freight costs, support industrial corridors and deepen Serbia’s integration with EU transport networks. Other projects also need to meet EU technical and safety standards.
Before construction can accelerate, projects require coordination of design interfaces, signalling, land, environmental permits and independent supervision. Weak design, budgeting and sequencing can hold up construction even after contracts are signed and funding secured.
Recommended steps include standard project-development processes, qualified technical teams and completed designs before procurement. These measures would reduce the need to resolve core issues after contract award and strengthen the preparation and sequencing of projects.
