On 18 October 2024, Dušan Mes, Director General of Slovenske železnice, hosted a high-level delegation from the International Union of Railways (UIC) in Ljubljana. The meeting was attended by senior directors of the Slovenske železnice group, with whom the UIC team had lively discussions on strategic issues, business essentials, and developments in Slovenia and the Balkan region. The meeting was held in a constructive spirit and represents an important step towards further strengthening the cooperation between SŽ and UIC.
Discussions also focused on the research agenda and the region’s involvement in flagship projects such as the Future Railway Mobile Communication System (FRMCS), the Digital Automatic Coupler (DAC) and ticketing, in line with the roadmap set by the sector. For the latter, UIC and its members are developing a number of tools to support the improvement of the customer experience in the context of sustainable and smart mobility strategies. Operational issues were also on the agenda, particularly in areas where the UIC’s technical resources facilitate seamless and interoperable cross-border exchanges.
François Davenne, Director General of UIC, stressed that UIC’s actions in Europe and other regions are aimed at facilitating seamless border crossings for the benefit of its members. UIC strongly supports the completion of the TEN-T corridors, which is also reflected in its technical programme. He added that UIC and SŽ share a special historical bond and that both Slovenia and the Balkan region play a key role in connecting Europe and the Eurasian continent and are an important link for creating an efficient European railway network.
Dušan Mes concluded the discussions by expressing his satisfaction with the meeting and the cooperative work undertaken between the two organisations so far. He expressed his hope that this cooperation will continue to strengthen and bring new opportunities and noteworthy achievements also for the railway sector in general.
