Skopje, 4 January 2025 (MIA) - After the inauguration of an expressway from Stracin to Kriva Palanka, travel time reduces from 30 to 10 minutes, and from Kriva Palanka to Kumanovo, from one hour to 40 minutes.

The 25.5-kilometer road, inaugurated at a ceremony Saturday, is part of Corridor 8. Worth EUR 93.7 million, 80.20 million euros were secured by the World Bank and the rest is a grant in amount of 13.50 million euros.

The expressway has three interchanges, three bridges, 13 viaducts and 44 slopes. Construction began in May 2018. Intensity of construction works was boosted in the past six months.

Speaking at the ceremony, Koce Trajanovski, head of the State Roads Public Enterprise, said the project was completed as a result of team work.

"In July 2024, when I was appointed as director of State Roads, not a santimeter of asphalt was put here, but today they brag that only finishing touches should be completed. Works were completely delayed. When I took office, I saw it as a challenge and I decided to fully commit to this project to make sure it is completed by the end of 2024. We are only three days late," said Trajanovski.

He added that a new expressway will be projected from Kumanovo to Stracin and construction of a interchange near Ginovci.

Attending the ceremony, Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski, said the road belongs neither to VMRO-DPMNE nor to SDSM, but to the citizens.

"There were some who made political promotion today and rather than appologise to the citizens for not managing to do something in the past six years, they rushed today to score political points. The loan will be paid by taxpayers' money and no one has the right to take credit for it," he stressed.

Transport Minister Aleksandar Nikoloski called the expressway a vital artery to connect with Bulgaria said he wished that new industrial capacities would be built for the eastern part of the country to prosper.

Photo: printscreen