Top consultancies to advise on Balkans projects

The consortium will provide technical assistance as part of the Infrastructure Projects Facility (IPF) of the Western Balkans Investment Framework (WBIF), which pools financial resources from the Commission, financial institutions and bi-lateral donors to finance development projects in the region.

As part of the lending process the IPF prepares priority infrastructure projects in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, and Kosovo.

Since 2009 almost £5bn in loans and grants have been made as part of the WBIF programme for infrastructure development in the region across four target sectors – transport, energy, environment and social infrastructure.

Projects that have received funding so far include: €61m for a 400kV upgrade to the power transmission system in Serbia; €100m to improve regional roads in Albania; and €70m to establish renewable energy generation in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.

Mott MacDonald, WYG and Atkins are all globally active companies able to draw on worldwide expertise. The consortium will provide technical support and advice including feasibility studies, economic and financial analysis, environmental and social impact assessments, preliminary and detailed design drawings and supervision of works.