STORY: China-built expressway brings opportunity, development: Serbian government leaders
SHOOTING TIME: Sept. 9, 2024
DATELINE: Sept. 11, 2024
LENGTH: 00:01:25
LOCATION: Belgrade
CATEGORY: ECONOMY

SHOTLIST:
1. various of the opening ceremony and press conference
2. various of construction works and machines
3. SOUNDBITE 1 (Serbian): MILOS VUCEVIC, Serbian Prime Minister
4. SOUNDBITE 2 (Serbian): GORAN VESIC, Serbian Minister of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure

STORYLINE:

A China-built expressway in northern Serbia will bring optimism and opportunity, as well as stimulate local development, Serbian Prime Minister Milos Vucevic said on Monday at the project's launch ceremony in Belgrade.

The main route of the Belgrade-Zrenjanin-Novi Sad expressway stretches 105.4 kilometers and is designed for a maximum speed of 130 kilometers per hour.

SOUNDBITE 1 (Serbian): MILOS VUCEVIC, Serbian Prime Minister
"This highway from Belgrade to Novi Sad, through Zrenjanin, essentially transforms the lifeblood of central Banat and brings hope for retaining the population in southern and central Banat. It gives Zrenjanin a significant boost for continued development, and also Kovacica, Opovo, and all the municipalities along the route of this important infrastructure project will benefit as well."

During the ceremony, Serbian Minister of Construction, Transport, and Infrastructure Goran Vesic expressed confidence that the project, scheduled for completion in 72 months, will stay on track due to the strong partnership with the Chinese side.

SOUNDBITE 2 (Serbian): GORAN VESIC, Serbian Minister of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure
"I want to thank the Shandong High-Speed Group (SDHS). We are truly grateful for their work, and of course, they will continue to receive our support because we believe in supporting companies that deliver quality results."

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Belgrade.
(XHTV)