Skopje, 10 October 2025 (MIA) - In August, the State Roads public enterprise paid Mden 1.2 billion (EUR 19.5 million) to the "Bechtel & Enka" consortium, the contractor of the motorway sections along Corridors VIII and Xd.

Construction activities are ongoing at the highway sections Tetovo - Gostivar (18km), Gostivar - Bukojchani (30km) and Prilep - Bitola (40km). 

Since the beginning of 2025, there have been two transactions to "Bechtel & Enka" in April, including one of Mden 0.60 billion and one of Mden 0.52 billion, one in May - Mden 0.68 billion, one in June - Mden 0.83 billion, and one in July - Mden 1.02 billion.  

According to the August 2025 supervision report published by PE State Roads, the Contractor continued to perform works mainly for geotechnical investigation works, motorway design and specifications, expropriation design, Temporary Traffic Management works, Demolition and Removal of Existing Structures and other Roadway Elements and construction activities mainly for Earthworks, Drainage and Structures.

"Throughout the Project, more than 300 existing utility lines must either be relocated or protected. As of August 2025, Specialist Contractors appointed by the Employer are engaged in the design phase for the relocation and protection of utilities, including water supply, irrigation, sewerage, telecommunications, and low- to medium-voltage electrical lines. The tender process for the design and execution of works related to high-voltage electricity lines is still in progress," reads the report. 

In addition, the report notes that piling, foundation, elevation and beam production operations of bridges, overpasses and underpass continue in sections Tetovo - Gostivar, Gostivar - Bukojchani, and Prilep - Bitola. Currently, works are ongoing in six bridges, four overpasses and three underpasses.

The contractor has hired 2,090 people and 1,202 pieces of machinery for the construction operations.

Director of State Roads public enterprise, Koce Trajanovski, said that following inspection on construction works at the Tetovo-Gostivar highway at the beginning of the month, around 1,200 people are working on sections 1 and 2 (Gostivar-Tetovo and Gostivar-Bukojchani) and more than 750 different machines and mechanization are involved. The figures also include subcontractors.

"Currently, 60 percent of suppliers and 90 percent of subcontractors are domestic companies," said Trajanovski.

The contract worth EUR 1.3 billion was signed in March 2023. The route for the fourth section Trebenishta - Kjafasan (22km) is to be revised for the purpose of protecting the Lake Ohrid and the region's protected status. Payments made in 2024 totalled EUR 261 million. 

Photo: Report print screen