Skopje, 12 May 2023 (MIA) – For the first time after 30 years, with modern infrastructure, we are connecting the country to the East and the West, to new ports in Durrës and Burgas, and we are strengthening the region’s transport connections, said Prime Minister Dimitar Kovachevski ahead of Friday’s cornerstone ceremony for Corridor X-d motorway section Prilep – Bitola.

This project, said the PM, is a lasting investment in the future generations.

“The construction of corridors VIII and X-d means 8.000 new jobs, new investments worth EUR 1.3 billion and nominal GDP growth of two percent annually in the next five years. New opportunities are opening up for new businesses, for the construction of buildings from various fields, which additionally creates new jobs. Corridors VIII and X-d were only on paper until now. These projects are of national and strategic interests, and the benefits will be felt by the citizens, the economy and the countries connected with these corridors,” said Kovachevski.

According to Kovachevski, the construction of the X-d motorway section and the three Corridor VIII sections, is the largest capital investment in the country and will represent a turnaround for the country’s development.

The event was attended by the First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Political System and Inter-Ethnic Relations, Artan Grubi, Minister of Transport and Communications Blagoj Bochvarski, the head of the Public Roads State Enterprise, Ejup Rustemi, the U.S. Embassy Charge d’Affaires, Eric Meyer, Turkish Ambassador Hasan Mehmet Sekizkök, as well as the Bechtel-Enka’s Region President for Europe, Africa and the Middle East, Justin Siberell.

According to Bochvarski, the construction of the section represents an opportunity for new jobs and a development of the field of construction in the country.

“I know how important this section is for Prilep, Krushevo, Bitola, Mogila, Novaci, Resen and everyone else who lives in or transits through Pelagonia. And this is a strong message from the Government to all citizens and businessmen from the region. We are no longer talking about promises, we are talking about the beginning of the largest capital project in the Pelagonia region,” underlined the Minister.

Photo: MIA