The Ministry of Transport and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) recently signed a contract finalizing the funding for the construction of the Skopje-Blace Highway. The agreement establishes the financial framework for the major infrastructure project connecting Skopje to the border with Kosovo. The funding package is substantial, comprising a grant of 30.8 million euros, which originates from the EU’s Investment Framework for the Western Balkans.
This grant is supplemented by a credit facility amounting to 167.6 million euros. The contract was formally executed by the directors of both institutions, Kote Trajanovski and Fatih Turkmenoglu. According to Kote Trajanovski, the director of the Public Enterprise for State Roads, the construction of the Skopje-Blace Highway spans approximately 10.5 kilometers, running from the Kostavce junction near the tourist resort to Blace, the border crossing point.
This represents a significant extension to existing infrastructure. Previously, 1.5 kilometers of the route had been completed. Consequently, the total projected length of the new highway, connecting the Kostavce junction near Skopje to the border, is set at 12 kilometers.
This investment is crucial for improving regional connectivity within the Western Balkans. The combined funding structure, involving hundreds of million euros, is intended to modernize the transport links, facilitating trade and movement along this vital corridor leading out of the Skopje area.
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