Over the next few years Croatia and Kosovo will strengthen economic cooperation, particularly in the area of air and rail traffic as well as in infrastructure, Croatia's Transport and Infrastructure Minister Oleg Butkovic and Kosovo's Infrastructure Minister Liburn Aliu said in Zagreb on Monday.

The two ministers expressed their satisfaction with the meeting in Zagreb where they discussed important topics and activities by the two ministries and announced the next round of their talks for April in Pristina.

After the meeting, Butkovic told reporters that he had informed his colleague from Kosovo about Croatia’s investments in infrastructure.

“We are currently investing HRK 25 million in transport infrastructure, and apart from investing in roads most of the outlays are for the railways and that is why, executives from the HZ Infrastruktura and HZ Cargo railway companies attended today’s meeting,” Butkovic said, adding that investments in transport and infrastructure are important for both countries.

The two ministers also discussed air connections and relaunching profitable Zagreb-Pristina flights with Butkovic saying that this could possibly restart in about a month and a half.

Butkovic underscored that Croatia wants to increase commodity trade between the two countries and he will be accompanied by several business people during his visit to Pristina.

Minister Aliu expressed his thanks for the meeting with the minister of, as he said, a friendly country and said that Kosovo wants to be connected more with other countries in the European Union and to hear about their experiences in building infrastructure.

“Our main focus is on developing and investing in railways as well as air connections and it is important for us to be acquainted with Croatia’s experiences. Apart from experience we need cooperation with companies and we are prepared to cooperate with them and revive the Zagreb-Pristina flight,” underscored Aliu.

The parliamentary deputy representing the Albanian minority, Ermina Lekaj-Prljaskaj, and representatives from the railway sector and others attended the meeting.

Responding to reporters Butkovic confirmed that there were no more obstacles to prevent the construction of the final leg of the Zagreb-Sisak motorway.

“Hrvatske Autoceste (HAC)  will sign a contract for the remaining 11 kilometres of the motorway towards Sisak this week and this refers to an HRK 280 million (without VAT) project and its implementation will last for 24 months,” said Butkovic.

The HAC motorway management company on 28 January announced that it had once again selected the Colas Hrvatska and Geotehnika consortium’s bid of HRK 281.34 million without VAT to construct the  Lekenik-Sisak section o the A11 Zagreb-Sisak motorway.

The consortium was originally selected in October 2021 but the Strabag company submitted an objection and the call for tenders was repeated.

(€1 = HRK 7.5)