"Smile of Vojvodina" Was Supposed to Be Built by a Chinese Company, But Azvirt Appeared: Have the Chinese Been Replaced and Why

“Smile of Vojvodina” Was Supposed to Be Built by a Chinese Company, But Azvirt Appeared: Have the Chinese Been Replaced and Why The Azerbaijani company Azvirt has signed a commercial contract to design and build several sections of the “Smile of Vojvodina” expressway in Serbia. These sections cover 94.2 kilometers, with the first 23-kilometer stretch from Bački Breg to Sombor expected to cost 240 million euros and be completed within two years. This development follows earlier announcements that a Chinese firm, “China Construction Eighth Engineering Division Corp,” was the main contractor for the entire project, which was to be financed by Serbia and a Chinese EXIM bank loan, with an estimated total investment of 1.75 billion euros.

• Azerbaijani company Azvirt will construct several sections of the “Smile of Vojvodina” expressway.
• A commercial contract was signed for the design and execution of works on the Bački Breg-Sombor-Kula-Vrbas-Srbobran segment.
• This expressway is officially named the Bački Breg-Sombor-Kula-Vrbas-Srbobran-Bečej-Kikinda- Srpska Crnja border crossing.
• Previously, the Chinese firm “China Construction Eighth Engineering Division Corp” was presented as the main contractor.
• The project was to be financed by Serbia’s budget and a loan from the Chinese EXIM bank, with an estimated total investment of 1.75 billion euros.
• Azvirt will work on five sections totaling 94.2 kilometers of the 185.5-kilometer expressway.
• The first section, from Bački Breg to Sombor (nearly 23 km), will cost 240 million euros and is expected to be completed in two years.
• Forbes Srbija sought clarification from the Ministry and the Chinese company regarding the change in contractors but received no response by the time of publication.