If the European Commission approves the application for the project, EU monies will cover Ft 33.7 billion of its cost, Budai said. The application for the project will be submitted to Brussels soon, she added.
The project involves renovating 9.6 kilometers of tram line and laying 1.4 kilometers of new line; replacing the city’s 40-year-old trams with 31 modern, low-floor trams; and building 45 stops. The project is expected to be completed by the end of 2011.
Because of the project’s size – exceeding €50 million – it requires special approval from Brussels. Other big projects that also need a special go-ahead from the European Commission include ones involving the M7 motorway, Budapest’s 4-6 tram line and Debrecen’s No. 1 tram line. The applications for these projects have already been submitted to Brussels, Budai said. (MTI – Econews)
