The groundbreaking ceremony for the final 10 kilometers of the Skopje-Blace road was held today in the presence of Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti, North Macedonia’s state leaders, and representatives of the EU and the EBRD. Work on this section is expected to be completed within four years.
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North Macedonia’s Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski described the start of construction as a historic moment, emphasizing that the project is finally being implemented after more than 20 years.
Mickoski said the project is being turned into reality by the government led by VMRO-DPMNE, VLEN and ZNAM. According to him, construction of the road was one of the commitments made at the beginning of the government’s term and one of its main priorities. He expressed his expectation that work on the ground would advance significantly and that the project would be completed in record time. The prime minister also stressed that the work would be carried out by a Macedonian company, which, he said, would bring added value to the country’s economy and create more jobs for the citizens of North Macedonia.
Meanwhile, Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti said the new corridor would bring Kosovo and North Macedonia, as well as the citizens of both countries, even closer together. He assessed that the project’s significance extends beyond improving infrastructure.
According to Kurti, the Skopje-Blace motorway, with five tunnels, eight bridges and eight galleries, will strengthen the infrastructure link between Kosovo and North Macedonia. He said the road would make travel easier and create new opportunities for citizens in both countries. Kurti added that every new kilometer represents an investment in the lives of citizens and in the economic development of both countries, while enabling businesses to transport goods more easily and establish new partnerships. He emphasized that the corridor is part of the European “Ten T” network, which brings Skopje closer to Pristina.
Koce Trajanovski, director of North Macedonia’s Public Enterprise for State Roads, announced that the difficult terrain had necessitated the inclusion of five tunnels and eight bridges along just 10.5 kilometers of road.
Trajanovski said the groundbreaking ceremony marked not only the start of a motorway, but also the laying of the foundations for a faster, safer North Macedonia that is more connected with its neighbors, the region and Europe. According to him, the start of construction of the Skopje-Blace motorway, from the Stenkovec interchange to the Blace border crossing, over a distance of approximately 10.5 kilometers, represents an important step toward completing this strategic regional link.
He explained that the selection of “Granit” as the contractor created the concrete conditions for the project to begin. Trajanovski described the investment as particularly important because, through Kosovo, it provides connections to the port of Durres, Albania, Montenegro and Serbia.
According to Trajanovski, the project is being financed through a 167.6 million euro loan from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, a 30.82 million euro grant from the Western Balkans Investment Framework, PESR budget funds for expropriation, and grant funds for the designers Hill International and ADT Omega.
Presenting the technical features, Trajanovski said the motorway would consist of two carriageways, each with two traffic lanes and a stopping lane. Its total width would be approximately 27.5 meters.
According to him, this is the most complex and difficult motorway, as numerous tunnels, viaducts, bridges and galleries will be built along a short section of just 10.5 kilometers, presenting a challenge for both designers and contractors. Because of the complex hilly and mountainous terrain, the project includes five tunnels with left and right tubes, eight bridges, 11 underpasses, four galleries and nine retaining walls. The construction deadline is four years.
