Leaders of the Russian railways are trying to persuade their counterparts in Slovakia to start building broad-gauge railway tracks in order to facilitate the future transportation of millions of tons of goods from Asia to Europe, the Sme daily wrote on June 23.
Russian railways' international relations director Alexei Averin is reported as saying that the manufacturing industries are moving eastward and "there is an emerging need to transport goods from China and other countries to the West". The Russian side, according to Averin, has chosen Slovakia over Hungary and Poland for the project, as the other countries are either facing economic problems or have unfavourable relations with Russia.
Ľubomír Palčák, head of the Transportation Research Institute and Dalibor Zelený, director general of the state run Slovak Railways, concur in the article that the project is economically worthwhile but requires a feasibility study for a final decision.
Palčák estimates the project's costs would be between Sk70-80 billion (€2.07-2.37 million).
Compiled by Zuzana Vilikovská from press reports
The Slovak Spectator cannot vouch for the accuracy of the information presented in its Flash News postings.
