Nikolloski: There Is No Doubt Corridor 8 Will Reach Qafë Thanë; Search Underway for the Most Suitable Route

The construction of the Corridor 8 motorway to the Qafë Thanë border crossing is undisputed, but the current challenge is selecting the best route. Transport Minister Aleksandar Nikolloski made the statement.

Nikolloski explained that new route alternatives are being considered for Corridor 8 and that, if another possible corridor is identified beyond the one provided for in the existing agreement, it will be discussed with the Albanian side. The aim is also to give Albania the opportunity to connect through this road. He stressed that communication with Tirana is intensive and that several options have already been presented. “So, the motorway will be built. The question is no longer whether it will be built, but what the most suitable route will be,” he concluded.

The minister also said that the most challenging section of the Kičevo-Ohrid route is almost complete and that the part from the village of Izvor to Vërbjan is expected to open to traffic during October. According to him, the only interchange that remains to be resolved is the one at Botun, and the expectation is that the entire motorway will be fully operational in the first quarter of 2027.

Going into technical details, Nikolloski said that two galleries are completely finished, the third has reached 70% completion, while the fourth is 50% complete. In the Botun area, work is continuing on the tunnels, while computer programs, signaling equipment, ventilation and fire-protection systems, as well as a modern control center, are being installed to increase safety. The expectation is that this most demanding section of the Kičevo-Ohrid motorway will be accessible at the beginning of October.

As for the Tetovo-Gostivar motorway, the first kilometers are expected to be completed next year, while full completion is planned for 2029. The aim is also to complete that same year the second section, from Gostivar to Bukojčani, while the minister added that a decision is awaited on the next section, from Bukojčani to Kičevo.