The Ministry of Construction, Transport and Infrastructure will receive an additional 185 million dinars (approximately 1.6 million euros) from the current budget reserve to support the construction of the Belgrade metro. This reallocation was approved by the Government in a decision made on December 24.
Originally, these funds were earmarked for other infrastructure projects under the same ministry in the 2024 budget. For example, 102.1 million dinars were designated for expanding the capacity of the Port of Sremska Mitrovica, 20 million dinars for constructing a bypass bridge around Novi Sad with access roads, and 10 million dinars for hydrotechnical and dredging works on critical navigation sectors of the Sava River. The remainder was intended for other infrastructure and planning-related projects.
However, these funds are now being transferred from their original allocations to the current budget reserve, from which they will be redirected to the Belgrade metro project. According to the decision, the money is needed to cover the additional funds required for the construction of the metro system.
This move follows a recent allocation of 2.85 billion dinars (about 24.3 million euros) from the budget reserve for the Belgrade metro, specifically for the construction of the depot at Makiš. Like the most recent allocation, this money had originally been set aside for other infrastructure projects.
The current budget reserve holds funds that remain unspent and are available for unexpected payments throughout the year. According to analyses by the Fiscal Council, the reserve can amount to a maximum of 4% of annual income and revenue. These funds can be reallocated from any expenditure category to address unforeseen costs, allowing for flexibility in funding urgent or new initiatives like the metro construction.
