After more than 80 years of the German fleet from World War II lying at the bottom of the Danube near Prahovo, the recovery of 21 vessels will begin, with the first four to be recovered by the end of this year, it was announced today at a press conference during the signing of a EUR 15.85 million European Union (EU) grant for the “Rhine-Danube Corridor” project.
The agreement was signed in the Government of the Republic of Serbia by Minister of European Integration Tanja Miščević, Minister of Construction, Transport, and Infrastructure Goran Vesić, and Vice President of the European Investment Bank (EIB) responsible for the Western Balkans Robert de Groot, in the presence of the Head of the EU Delegation Emanuele Giaufret.
Miščević said that the removal of the sunken German fleet from the Danube would enable the navigability of the river, improve river traffic, and protect the environment, adding that the total value of the project was approximately EUR 31 million, while the remaining funds would be secured through a favourable loan from the European Investment Bank (EIB).
“It has taken a long time to start, but in the second half of the year, it is expected that the recovery of 21 vessels will begin, with the first four to be recovered by the end of the year,” she said.
EIB Vice President Robert de Groot highlighted that the project combined grants and favourable loans, and such a financial package would benefit the country.
According to him, the EIB has so far provided EUR 3 billion for the transport sector in Serbia.
“This project will enable the navigability of the Danube, make water traffic more efficient, which, along with rail transport, is more environmentally friendly compared to road transport and reduces the carbon footprint,” de Groot said.
Giaufret stated that this was another project used to build the European future of Serbia, reminding that the EU had also been created as a peace project through cooperation after World War II.
“Sometimes we have to resolve issues from the past to advance towards a more prosperous future,” Giaufret said, assessing that Serbia was building a modern network of roads and improving the navigability of the Danube with the project.
“The Danube is our common heritage and our shared prosperous future,” he added.
Minister Goran Vesić reminded that the German fleet on the Danube had consisted of around 200 ships, adding that when the Red Army had arrived, its commander had decided to sink those ships.
“Only a few have been recovered, and this has been prolonged due to numerous problems as the ships were sunk with weapons and ammunition,” Vesić pointed out.
He thanked the EU for the grant, noting that while many foreign companies operated in Serbia, none provided grants like the EU.
“The money they give to Serbia, I view as their clear desire to tell us that Serbia is part of the EU, that together we are one area,” Vesić highlighted, recalling the EU’s support for the construction of the railway line to Niš, specifically from Niš to Dimitrovgrad.
“We are ready to recover four vessels by the end of the year; we do not know their condition, but we will see once the project is underway,” Vesić said.
Source: FoNet
