EBRD €24m loan to Serbia to complete DSO
December 19, 2014
From Branislav Pekic in Rome
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has approved a €24 million loan to Serbian public company Emisiona Tehnika i Veze for completing the transition from analogue to digital TV broadcasting.
However, it is already certain that the full amount of the allocated resources will not be spent, given that for the purchase of digital broadcasting equipment, instead of the estimated €16.6 million, will be spent €10 million, which is the price offered on the tender by the best bidder, a consortium led by the company Rhode & Schwarz.
Savings will also be achieved on the construction, reconstruction and overhaul of 208 transmission sites for DTT broadcasting across Serbia, for which funds from the EBRD loan have also been allocated.
The realisation of the EBRD loan will enable Serbia to complete the digital switchover process before the June 17th 2015 deadline.