BAKU, Azerbaijan, March 18. The European Investment Bank (EIB Global) will provide a 25 million euro loan to modernize air navigation systems in Serbia and Montenegro, Trend reports.
The funding will support SMATSA, the air navigation service provider for both countries, in enhancing operational efficiency, safety, and interoperability.
The project includes new software solutions aligned with Eurocontrol and the Digital European Sky strategy, improving air traffic management. SMATSA, which oversees about 9% of European flights, will upgrade control centers in Belgrade, Podgorica, Tivat, Batajnica, Kraljevo, and Niš. The improvements aim to reduce operational costs, shorten flight times, and lower CO2 emissions while strengthening regional connectivity.
Co-financed by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the initiative is part of the European Commission’s Economic and Investment Plan, supporting transport modernization in the Western Balkans.
The EIB has invested 6.6 billion euros in the region’s transport sector to date.