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Weekly Lists
September 7, 2018 www.intellinews.com I Page 25
bne: The Russian part of the transportation corridor highway Europe- Infrastructure Western China spanning 8,000km will cost RUB825bn ($12bn),
Russian part of Europe-China highway to cost $12bn
Blair to lobby Salvini for TAP pipeline completion
Vedomosti daily reported on September 4. The highway is part of the infrastructure plan to be approved within the framework of Vladimir Putin's RUB8 trillion May Decree spending drive.
The highway has to be built by 2024, with the Belarusian, Kazakhstan and Chinese parts almost completed. However, on the Russian end there are four projects in the route's itinerary and six funding strategies reviewed by the government, according to unnamed official sources of the daily.
The full cost of the highway is estimated at RUB1 trillion, out of, which RUB825bn is supposed to be financed from the federal budget.
Former British prime minister Tony Blair is to meet Italian Interior Minister Matteo Salvini to discuss environmental controversies that could threaten the construction of the last leg of interconnected Southern Gas Corridor (SCG) pipelines that are to deliver Azerbai- jani gas to Europe.
Blair will journey to Rome to lobby the far-right minister because the governing Italian coalition between the Five Star Movement (M5S) and Salvini’s League is divided on the merits of the final SCG section, the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP), the Guardian reported
on September 3. In July, Salvini said he would support the pipeline project, claiming it would help drive down gas prices in Italy. “The south of Italy needs infrastructure,’’ he said. “We need to move forward.’’
Drivers will pay a road toll of €5 on the Durres-Kukes motorway that leads to Kosovo starting from September 17, media reported on September 4.
This will be the first road toll in the country, which earlier this year sparked violent protests by citizens of Kukes near the Kosovan bor- der, who were opposed to the toll. The move was also criticised by the opposition within Albania and Kosovan businesspeople.
In a move to defuse the situation, as agreed with authorities, citi- zens of Kukes will pay only ALL100 (€0.8), Albanian Daily News reported. The fee applies to all types of vehicles.
Albania makes new attempt to impose road tolls after rioters burn down toll booths