Bitola, 20 December 2023 (MIA) — The 12.7 km regional road between Bitola and the Medzhitlija border crossing, which is part of Corridor 10d, opened Wednesday after having been renovated with an investment of 3.6 million euros. The project is important for the region and the entire country's cross-border economic cooperation, according to top government officials.

The renovated road opened Wednesday in the presence of Prime Minister Dimitar Kovachevski, Minister of Transport and Communications Blagoj Bochvarski, Minister of Culture Bisera Kostadinovska Stojchevska and State Roads director Ejup Rustemi.

"This road, neglected for decades and now rehabilitated, is extremely important, especially given it is part of the European Corridor 10d which connects us with our southern neighbor," PM Kovachevski said. 

He said that works were under way on all sections to result in a modern highway through Prilep and Bitola to the border with Greece.

Transport Minister Bochvarski said: "We invested 3.6 million euros to raise the level of the quality and safety of this road used by all businesses in Pelagonia, for the sake of the citizens and for the development of tourism."

Next, he said, traffic would be diverted from 29 km road from Bitola to Prilep for construction. The works are part of the new Corridor 8 and 10d highway sections construction project.

He added that work was under way on expropriation, examination of the terrain as well as of the access roads to the route and of the landfills.

A particularly important road for Pelagonia, Bochvarski said, was the Gradsko – Drenovo – Farish highway, also part of Corridor 10d. He said construction was going well and at a dynamic pace so the main highway connection to the Medzhitlija border crossing would be completed without delay.

Financing for the renovation of the road between Bitola and Medzhitlija was provided by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the works were done by Pelagonija construction company. 

According to State Roads director Rustemi, this is the first time the road has been renovated in 40 years. mr/