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“It is important that all the railways of Kosovo, within the territory of Kosovo and those related to the international corridors, are being worked on to be completed as soon as possible, but it also depends on the funds that can be provided”. says the Deputy Minister of Spatial Planning and Infrastructure, Hysen Durmishi, for Radio Free Europe.
According to him, the railway network that connects Kosovo with North Macedonia is expected to be completed at the end of the year, the works on the railway network that connects to Serbia are about to start, while the network that connects to Albania is in the phase of feasibility, or evaluation of the plan.
Stations without passengers
Durmishi says that the rehabilitation of the railway network Fushë Kosovë – Hani i Elezit, in the direction of North Macedonia, and Fushë Kosovë – Mitrovica, to continue to Leshak, on the border with Serbia, is worth nearly 100 million euros.
The cost for the other railways, which are in the feasibility study phase, is not known.
Durmishi says that the funds are intended to be secured through loans from international financial mechanisms.
He did not give any time frame for when these rail lines could be completed.
“It is not a question within this year”, he emphasizes.
In 2018, when the Prime Minister of Kosovo was Ramush Haradinaj, the Government pledged that by 2022, Kosovo will have completed the railway network Fushë Kosovë – Hani i Elezit and Fushë Kosovë – Leshak.
Government officials have told the world that the financial means have been provided by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), while an amount will be shared by the Government of Kosovo.
Despite all efforts, Radio Free Europe has not been able to get in touch with the Infrakos company, which operates the railway network of Kosovo, to find out the reasons for the delays in the implementation of the works.
However, in a report published by “Infrakos”, regarding the work of this institution during the period January – March 2022, it is said that the works have continued, but not with the expected intensity.
“During this quarter, work continued on the project for the rehabilitation of the 10th railway line Fushë Kosovë – Hani i Elezit, but the volume of work performed was not satisfactory”, says the “Infrako” report.
The reasons for the delays are not given. The report states that “a relatively good job” has been done in the drafting of the “technical design project” for the third phase of the rehabilitation of the Mitrovica – Leshak railway and that the project is expected to be completed by June 2023.
Avdiu: Rehabilitating railways cheaper than building highways
Sadullah Avdiu, professor of the Railway Design course at the Faculty of Construction and Architecture in Prishtina, says for Radio Free Europe that railways should be a priority for governments.
“Investment in the railway infrastructure is not expensive, due to the flat terrain that Kosovo has. Meanwhile, wagons, locomotives… depending on how modern they are, can cost more. But, with these existing locomotives, we cannot connect to the international network”, says Avdiu.
According to him, the rehabilitation of railways would cost Kosovo several times less than the construction of highways.
Kosovo has spent 1.4 billion euros from its budget for the highways that connect it with Albania and North Macedonia.
The railway infrastructure, meanwhile, remains with outdated tracks, locomotives and wagons. Many train stations are also in dire straits.
In many places there are not even crossings at the points where railways cross roads.
Due to the technical conditions on the current railway lines, trains can move at speeds of up to 50 kilometers per hour. With the renovation of the railways, the speed will be able to increase up to 150 kilometers per hour.
Kosovo’s railways have not been properly maintained since the beginning of the 90s, when the wars in the territory of former Yugoslavia began, and their degradation has continued year after year.
The railway line with Albania is also in focus
The Deputy Minister of Spatial Planning and Infrastructure, Hysen Durmishi, says that the focus has now turned towards a new railway project, Pristina – Durrës, for which Kosovo and Albania have signed an agreement.
Through this line, a dry port in Pristina and a new port in Durrës would be connected, for which the project also exists.
Deputy Minister Durmishi says that the working groups have been put into action and that the feasibility study for both projects is expected to be completed by the end of this year.
According to him, the funds for both projects are supposed to be provided by the funds of the European Union, but also by the budgets of the two states.
The history of the Kosovo railway
The construction of the Kosovo railway began in 1874.
The first railway line was on the route Hani i Elezit – Fushë Kosovë – Mitrovica, to continue in other directions.
The Kosovo railway has a length of about 333 kilometers.
Kosovo’s trains, which once circulated on international lines, are today used by a relatively small number of people.
According to the data of the Statistics Agency of Kosovo for the first quarter of 2022, the number of passengers who used the train as a means of travel was around 13,000. Compared to the first quarter of 2021, the number of passengers has decreased by 25 percent./ Radio Free Europe
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