Project for the construction of municipal (sewer) infrastructure and infrastructure for municipal solid waste disposal in the Republic of Serbia – “Clean Serbia (Čista Srbija)”
Thu, 07-31-2025 - 13:08
Project carrier:
Government of the Republic of Serbia, Ministry of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure
Project title:
Project for the construction of municipal (sewer) infrastructure and infrastructure for municipal solid waste disposal in the Republic of Serbia – “Clean Serbia (Čista Srbija)”
Contracting Authority:
Government of the Republic of Serbia, Ministry of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure
Main contractor:
China Road and Bridge Corporation Ltd – CRBC
Investor:
Local Self-Government Units
Financier:
Ministry of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure
Contractor:
China Road and Bridge Corporation Ltd – CRBC
Supervision:
EPTISA – Phase 1 Local self-government units – Phase 2
Strategic and legal basis:
Agreement on Economic and Technical Cooperation in the Field of Infrastructure between the Government of the Republic of Serbia and the Government of the People’s Republic of China dated August 20, 2009.The Commercial Contract for the design and execution of works on the construction of communal (sewage) infrastructure was signed on February 5, 2021, between the Republic of Serbia as the financier and China Road and Bridge Corporation Ltd. as the contractor, along with the associated Annexes.Loan Agreement in the amount of €203,400,928 between the Republic of Serbia, represented by the Government of the Republic of Serbia acting through the Ministry of Finance as the Borrower, arranged by BANK OF CHINA SRBIJA A.D. BEOGRAD as the Authorized Lead Arranger with BANK OF CHINA LIMITED HUNGARIAN BRANCH as Agent and BANK OF CHINA LIMITED HUNGARIAN BRANCH as the Original Lender, which was signed in Belgrade and Budapest on January 27, 2022, in the original English language — for Phase 1 of the project.Loan Agreement in the amount of €183,941,730,60 between the Republic of Serbia, represented by the Government of the Republic of Serbia acting through the Ministry of Finance as the Borrower, arranged by BANK OF CHINA SRBIJA A.D. BEOGRAD as the Authorized Lead Arranger with BANK OF CHINA LIMITED, LUXEMBOURG BRANCH as Agent and BANK OF CHINA LIMITED, LUXEMBOURG BRANCH as the Original Lender — for Phase 2 of the project.Direct contracting based on an intergovernmental agreement
The significance of the project:
The “Clean Serbia(Čista Srbija)” project aims to improve the communal infrastructure in the Republic of Serbia and to address a long-standing problem in this area, as well as to bring the Republic of Serbia closer to European standards regarding wastewater drainage and treatment.
Investment value:
2,801,052,242 euros excluding VAT
Start of the project:
05.08.2021.
Source of finance:
Loan from the Chinese bank and the budget of the Republic of Serbia
Project description:
The Commercial Agreement stipulates that the project includes the construction of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), the construction of sewage networks, and pumping stations in 73 cities/municipalities/entities, covering 93 locations in the Republic of Serbia. This includes 159 WWTPs with a total capacity of 2,291,300 PE (population equivalent) and 5,228,469.06 meters of sewage network pipes. The project is divided into 2 sections: Currently, works are being carried out in two phases.Phase One: In the first phase, works are being carried out at 16 locations. Projects financed from the budget are: Novi Sad, Novi Bečej, Kragujevac, Kučevo, Knić, and projects financed by loans are: Lazarevac, Obrenovac, Veliki Crljeni, Svrljig, Banja Vrujci, Vranje, Lajkovac, Varvarin, Krupanj, Kladovo, and Mionica. To date, 84.8% of the sewer network has been constructed at these 16 locations in the first phase, and works are underway on the construction of six wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in Svrljig, Obrež, Toponica, Gruža, Podvrška, and Bogovađa. Government of the Republic of Serbia in March 2025 adopts the Government Conclusion approving Annexes 2 of the relevant annexes for Kragujevac, Knić, Lazarevac, Veliki Crljeni, and Vranje, which, for better project functionality, modify certain sections in the same scope. Phase 2: In the second phase, works are being carried out at 9 locations. These include the following LSUs: Novi Sad – second phase, Subotica, Inđija, Ada, Doljevac, Lelić (Valjevo), Kušiljevo (Svilajnac), Bezdan (Sombor), Ćićevac. On May 12, 2023, the Relevant Annexes for the locations in the second phase of the project were signed (except for Novi Sad, which was signed on July 19, 2023). On July 31, 2024, the loan for the Second Phase was ratified in the National Assembly. To date, 42.9% of the sewer network has been constructed at these 9 locations in the second phase. The second phase is financed 15% from the budget of the Republic of Serbia and 85% from a loan.