Prishtina, 4 November, 2023
Today was the inauguration of tunnels 6 and 7 and the reopening of the railway line Hani i Elezit – Fushë Kosovë.
In the ceremony organized by the Ministry of Economy and the Public Enterprise “Infrakos”, alongside the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo Albin Kurti, the Minister of Economy, Artane Rizvanolli, the Minister of Environment, Spatial Planning and Infrastructure, Liburn Aliu, the Minister of Finance, Labor participated and Transfers, Hekuran Murati, Italian Ambassador to Kosovo, Antonello de Riu, Chief of Cooperation from the EU Office in Kosovo, Johannes Stenbaek Madsen, Director of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development for Kosovo, Sergiy Maslichenko, Chairman of the Board of ” Infrakos”, Edona Nahi, Chief Executive of this public enterprise, Naser Krasniqi, ambassadors, deputy ministers, deputies, and citizens.
Describing this as one of the most important events and a decisive moment for the railway in the Republic of Kosovo, the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, said that we are here to inaugurate the reconstruction of line 10 that connects Hani e Elezit with Fushë- Kosovo, and in particular to reopen two tunnels, one with a length of 262 meters and the other with a length of 122 meters, which have been completely collapsed.
The overall project envisages 13 new bridges and 7 tunnels reconstructed according to the highest European standards of rail transport.
In front of the many present, Prime Minister Kurti said that over 164.5 million euros is the value of the works in this segment of line 10 alone, from the border with North Macedonia to Fushë-Kosovo, while he emphasized that over 200 million euros is the value of the works that we plan on the remaining segment, from Fushë-Kosova to Mitrovica and from Mitrovica to the northern border of the Republic of Kosovo.
He expressed gratitude to the European Union, the European Investment Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, for supporting the financing and rehabilitation of this railway line, which will bring the citizens of Kosovo even closer to the European Union.
“For years, this project faced many challenges and obstacles. They are being overcome thanks to the determination of the managers, engineers and workers of the Kosovo Railways — the public enterprise Infrakos, our Ministry of Environment, Spatial Planning and Infrastructure, the Ministry of Economy, under whose umbrella is the public enterprise Infrakos, and the Ministry of Finance, Labor and Transfers”, said Prime Minister Kurti, adding that the railway is a very important infrastructure that connects us with the region and with Europe and opens the path of growth and development that we aim for, which unfortunately was ignored for a long time until it was degraded.
In his speech, he added that the railway line that we are inaugurating today, and others that will come after it, will offer a new form of transport, faster, easier, safer, cheaper and cleaner.
Beyond that, Prime Minister Kurti said that with the train we enable easier movement of all citizens, better access of workers to workplaces, and of pupils and students to schools, universities and trainings, while emphasizing that the investment in public transport especially positively affects women’s access to the labor market, thus contributing to one of our key socio-economic priorities.
At the end of the speech, Prime Minister Kurti underlined that in addition to the rehabilitation of line 10, we have already started the cooperation agreement with Albania to build the Pristina-Durrës railway, where we then intend to build the dry port that turns our capital into an important center of trade and of circulation, that is, of distribution and accumulation.
The Minister of Economy, Artane Rizvanolli, meanwhile said that we are happy to inaugurate the reopening of the Hani i Elezit – Fushë Kosovë railway, which in the future offers better opportunities for citizens and businesses, cheaper and faster transport.
Even the Minister of Environment, Spatial Planning and Infrastructure, Liburn Aliu, said that he is happy to participate in the inauguration of this railway line, which, as he said, connects Pristina, Kosovo directly with Skopje and Thessaloniki, that is, it is connected to the corridor of 10, which connects us directly to the port of Thessaloniki, and in the north then connects again to the 10th corridor, taking us towards Europe.
Prime Minister Kurti’s complete speech:
Dear Minister of Economy, Mrs. Artane Rizvanolli,
The honorable minister of the Ministry of Environment, Spatial Planning and Infrastructure, Mr. Liburn Ali,
The honorable Minister of Finance, Labor and Transfers, Mr. Hekuran Murati,
The honorable Mr. Johannes Stenbæk Madsen, head of cooperation at the European Union Office in Pristina,
The honorable Mr. Sergij Maslichenko, head of EBRD in Kosovo,
Dear Ambassador of Italy in Kosovo, Antonello De Riu,
Dear Chairman of the Board, Edona Nahi and members of the board of directors,
The honorable Mr. Naser Krasniqi, head of the “Infrastructure of the Railways of Kosovo-Infrakos” enterprise,
Dear Deputy Ministers, Members of Parliament,
Dear representatives of the media,
Ladies and gentleman,
Dear attendees,
Today we are marking a decisive moment for the railway in the Republic of Kosovo. We are inaugurating the reconstruction of line 10 that connects Hani e Elez with Fushë-Kosova. In particular, we are reopening two tunnels — one 262 meters long and the other 122 meters long — that have been completely collapsed.
Over 164.5 million euros is the value of the works only in this segment of line 10, from the border with North Macedonia to Fushë-Kosovo.
Over 200 million euros is the value of the works we plan in the remaining segment, from Fushë-Kosova to Mitrovica and from Mitrovica to the northern border of the Republic of Kosovo.
We are grateful to the European Union, the European Investment Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development for supporting the financing and rehabilitation of this railway line, which will bring the citizens of Kosovo even closer to the European Union.
The overall project envisages 13 new bridges and 7 tunnels reconstructed according to the highest European standards of rail transport. For years, this project faced many challenges and obstacles. They are being overcome thanks to the determination of the managers, engineers and workers of the Kosovo Railways – Public Enterprise Infrakos, our Ministry of Environment, Spatial Planning and Infrastructure, the Ministry of Economy, under whose umbrella is the Public Enterprise Infrakos, and the Ministry of Finance, Labor and Transfers.
The railway is a very important infrastructure that connects us with the region and with Europe and opens the path of growth and development that we aim for, which unfortunately was ignored for a long time until it was degraded. We are giving it the attention it deserves.
The railway line that we are inaugurating today, and others that will come after it, will offer a new form of transport, faster, easier, safer, cheaper and cleaner. By improving this form of public transport, we create better export conditions for our manufacturers, attract foreign investment in our industry, increase employment and grow the economy.
Beyond that, by train we enable easier movement of all citizens, better access of workers to workplaces, and of pupils and students to schools, universities and trainings.
Investing in public transport especially has a positive effect on women’s access to the labor market, thus contributing to one of our key socio-economic priorities.
During the following weeks, line ministries and Infrakosi will sign the framework agreement for the financing of railway infrastructure for the 5-year period, following European norms and best practices of infrastructure development, modernization and maintenance.
In addition to the rehabilitation of line 10, we have already started the cooperation agreement with the Republic of Albania to build the Pristina-Durrës railway, where we then intend to build the dry port that turns our capital into an important center of trade and circulation, so distribution and accumulation.
With Line 10 and the Pristina-Durres railway, Kosovo becomes part of the Trans-European Transport Network. We are strengthening, expanding and modernizing infrastructure connections. With strengthening, exchanges increase. With expansion, connectivity increases, while with modernization, speed increases.
And here the train could once develop a speed of no more than 60 kilometers per hour. With the new railway, he will be able to travel at a speed of over 100 km/h. And just as we are accelerating the train, we wish that this project accelerates the growth and development of the Republic.
Thank you and congratulations to all.
Last modified: November 6, 2023