Minister of Telecommunications and Information Society Jasna Matic stated today that the Ministry signed an agreement with Telekom Srbija on renting 4,000 kilometres of optical cables for the SEELight project, to link educational and scientific institutions in south-eastern Europe.

Matic told a press conference that the agreement is estimated at €3.8 million, noting that Telekom Srbija will lease optical fibre cables for 15 years.

She explained that in this way a communications network will be established in Serbia, linking over 180 scientific and research institutions and 50 towns. It will also help to link them with the academic networks in neighbouring states.

The lease of optical cables will improve the quality of education in Serbia, Matic observed, adding that the SEELight project is mostly financed from the Hellenic Plan.

In order to implement the project, another agreement has to be signed on the procurement of the necessary equipment worth €2 million, it will most likely be signed in February 2011, Matic added.

Secretary General for International Economic Relations and Development Cooperation at the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs Constantine Papadopoulos stressed that the SEELight project includes Romania, Bulgaria and Macedonia, along with Serbia.

Papadopoulos noted that the project is worth €19.8 million and Greece will secure €16 million from the Hellenic Plan.

The project will help to reduce the digital gap between the countries of south-eastern Europe and developed European countries, Papadopoulos remarked.
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