Albi Qamili: After 22 years of promises by DUI, VLEN begins construction of the Skopje–Blace motorway

“22 years in power and not a single kilometer.” This is how Albi Qamili of VLEN criticized DUI over its repeated promises concerning the Skopje–Blace motorway, which, according to him, for more than two decades never went beyond political statements.

In a video posted on social media, Qamili highlighted various statements made by DUI officials over the years. They include Bujar Osmani, Ali Ahmeti and Ejup Rustemi, who at different times had promised to carry out the project.

“How many times has DUI promised the Skopje–Blace motorway? Honestly, I don’t even know exactly how many times. But we do know one thing: a full 22 years,” Qamili says.

He focuses in particular on a statement made by Bujar Osmani in 2019, when the latter publicly pledged to take charge of building the motorway.

“So, with great pride, he says: now I am taking care of this matter. And the result… you know it: 0,” Qamili says.

The video also includes a statement by Ali Ahmeti about the construction of the Skopje–Blace motorway. Qamili accompanies this segment with the ironic comment: “No motorway, but Soravia was built.”

Among the officials mentioned for unfulfilled promises is also Ejup Rustemi, the former director of the Public Enterprise for State Roads.

According to Qamili, the failure to implement the project had become such an obvious problem that DUI officials had begun blaming one another for responsibility for the failure.

However, he stresses that the situation has now changed and that work on the project has begun.

“Dear citizens, you are often rightly telling us: ‘Leave aside what they did and tell us what you are doing.’ We are telling you: work began today. So, like every other task, this one too is being carried out by VLEN,” Qamili says.

He adds that VLEN will continue implementing projects while also highlighting the failures of previous governments.

“We will do the work, but we will not refrain from bringing their failures to light,” Qamili concludes.