Three More Major Projects Approved by Brussels10 April 2009
Thanks to the degree of preparation of the projects and measures taken by the Government to speed up procedures, the European Commission has approved a further three major projects, namely, the development of the tramway network in Szeged, recultivation of waste dumps in the Central Danubian region and the development of the sewerage network and sewage treatment in Békéscsaba. Altogether 5 major projects have been given a nod of approval by Brussels pursuant to the series of decisions that have just been made; moreover, a further 17 major projects have already been approved by the Government and 14 of these are currently awaiting approval in Brussels.
The way in which Hungary has submitted the highest number of major projects in Brussels from among the member states of the European Union demonstrates the success of Hungary’s development policy. These investments are also significant because of the way major investments prepared to a high standard represent responses to the challenges the building industry and Hungarian labour market is facing in the context of the international financial and economic crisis.
The aim of the major project to be implemented in Szeged is geared towards improving the standard of urban public transport in the city
and increasing the utilization
of public transport; however, reducing environmental burdens is just as relevant an objective. This development will make the lives of over 160,000 residents of Szeged and its agglomeration easier.
All three tram lines operating at present in Szeged will be modernised within the framework of the development; in addition, a 4th, nearly 2.5-km-long new line will also be constructed. The entire track will be replaced along an over 8-km stretch; vibration and noise absorbing rubber strips will be installed along the new tracks to be constructed by using state-of-the-art technology. Trolleybus Line 8 will be extended and one of the bus lines currently operating will be replaced by a new trolleybus line.
The tram depot, trolleybus yard and electricity supply network will also be modernised. 9 new low-floor trams and 10 new trolleybuses will be added to the tram and trolleybus fleet.
The project is anticipated to be completed at the end of 2011; its total cost nearly reaches 30 billion HUF, of which nearly 25 billion HUF is covered by EU funding.
The protection of water supplies, surface and sub-surface waters, eliminating and shutting down abandoned illegal dump sites operating without suitable protection, improving the quality of the air, as well as the quality of life of the population by eliminating health risks are the key objectives of the project "Waste management system in the Central Danubian region – recultivation of waste dumps”.
12 dump sites will be entirely eliminated, 69 dump sites will be shut down and 2 dump sites reconquered by nature will be recultivated to blend into the landscape within the framework of the project. These developments will improve living conditions for nearly 500,000 people.
The project is anticipated to be completed at the end of 2011; its total cost is 7.7 billion HUF and is fully covered by EU funding.
Local waste water collection systems, pressure pipelines and pumps will be placed in areas where pipelines do not exist within the framework of the major project to be implemented in Békéscsaba. Certain areas located within the municipal area of Békéscsaba that have not been connected to the network as yet will be connected to the sewerage network and certain districts (Mezőmegyer, Fényes, Gerla) located within the municipal boundaries of the town will be connected to the separated system within the framework of the development of the sewerage network. Through these technological developments, the existing sewerage plant in Békéscsaba will be capable of performing biological treatment also enabling higher-efficiency nutrient removal. The quality of the receiving surface water, namely, the Élővíz Canal, will consequently improve, as will the quality of water of the Kettős (Dual) Körös through indirect means.
The development of the sewerage network affects the day-to-day life of 21,000 residents in Békéscsaba; the total cost of the investment amounts to 17.7 billion HUF, of which nearly 15 billion HUF is covered by EU funding.
Hungary named over 40 major projects; 23 of these have already been approved by the Government. We have already submitted 19 of these to decision-makers in Brussels; therefore, alongside the 5 major projects, another 14 projects are currently awaiting approval in Brussels. All of these projects are either transport developments or environmental protection investments and require approval by Brussels due to their high value. (The vast majority of major projects are large scale investments exceeding 13 billion HUF in value; whilst the ceiling for environmental protection investments is 6.5 billion HUF. Consequently, beyond approval by the Government of the given member state, these major projects must also be given the green light in Brussels.)
Hungarian major projects include, among others, major transport investments, such as, the construction of Metro Line 4, the development of the tramway network in Debrecen and Miskolc, the construction of Motorway M7 and Highway M43, as well as the development of the Kelenföld–Székesfehérvár train line. However, major environmental protection developments, such as, the sewerage network and waste water programme in Nyíregyháza, or the waste water programme in Makó and its surrounding region are also awaiting approval in Brussels.