Italian Involvement in the Western Balkans Transport Infrastructure Development
Following the Eastern Balkan countries' entry in the framework
of the Wider Europe strategy and in the light of a Treaty for the
establishment of a Transport Community in the Western Balkans, the
Commission is supporting the study for the definition of a
general Transport Plan and of SEETO Observatory.
In this context, the Italian Ministry of Transport and
Infrastructure stresses the relevance of the Corridor VIII as
the southern most East-West oriented transnational axis.
After the signature of the Memorandum of Understanding of
Corridor VIII in 2002, the Ministry has actively worked for the
definition of investments, necessary for the upgrading of Corridor
VIII infrastructures.
Three pre-feasibility studies were conducted between 2007 and
2008, with the active participation of the Ministries of transport
of Albania, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Bulgaria,
covering railway, road and maritime transport:
- "Corridor VIII - pre-feasibility study on the development of
the railway axis - September 2007";
- "Corridor VIII as a backbone of the South-Eastern European
Region: technical assessment of the road infrastructure and
transport system - November 2008";
- "Ports and logistic system of Corridor VIII: technical
assessment and definition of a coordinated development strategy -
December 2008".
These studies offer an unprecedented contribution to the
definition of the wider Europe transport network, as they
show the willingness of the involved countries to concentrate their
efforts on the requalification of infrastructures, that constitute
the alignment of this corridor.
Apart from cooperation in the technical field, Italy offered
also its full support to the diplomatic negotiation, aimed at
the establishment of a Transport Community in the Western Balkans,
considering that neighboring countries should be fully integrated
in the European market.
To this end, the international conference organized in Tirana by
the Italian Embassy on 29th April 2010 was the occasion
for the signature of a Joint Declaration by the Ministers of
Transport of Italy, Albania, the former Yugoslav Republic of
Macedonia and Bulgaria.
In this context, it is worth recalling the importance of
interconnections between the Corridor VIII and the Trans-European
Networks (Corridor I and Corridor X). Moreover, Italy is also
considering the opportunity for an extension of Corridor VIII to
Naples, linking it Westwards to Corridor I (from Berlin to Palermo)
and to Motorways of the Sea, and Eastwards to Corridor X, for a
strategic connection among EU countries, while enhancing the
economic development of candidates countries for the future EU
accession.