Skopje, 16 May 2026 (MIA) — Construction work on Skopje's Boris Trajkovski Boulevard is going faster than planned and could finish well before the end of the year, Skopje Mayor Orce Gjorgievski told a press conference Saturday.

The EUR 2 million extension of the boulevard aims to ease traffic and improve safety for roughly 100,000 residents in the Municipality of Kisela Voda, including the Drachevo, Zelenikovo and Studenichani neighborhoods, Gjorgjievski said.

"For 30 years, city authorities did not find a way to provide access to a safe, functional route for the local citizens," Gjorgjievski said. 

"Today, that solution is finally a reality," he said, noting that work on the current 1-kilometer stretch was 88% complete. 

The upgraded boulevard will feature four lanes, sidewalks and bike lanes as well as a newly installed 610-meter storm sewage system, the Skopje mayor said.

Asked about the capital's trash collection problems, he said that when he took up the mayoral post, there was not enough machinery to collect the garbage.

"When I took office, we had only 16 working garbage trucks. Today we have about 60," Gjorgjievski said. He added that the city was procuring 40 new trucks soon. mr/