Skopje, 25 December 2023 (MIA) – The Public Enterprise for State Roads ends 2023 with a record level of capital investments of EUR 400 million and the highest income from tolls ever - EUR 62 million, which is a 100 percent increase compared to three years ago. Presenting on Monday the 2023 results and next year's projections, State Roads director Ejup Rustemi said that 2023 was also a successful year because of the project launched for the construction of 110 kilometers of highways as part of Corridors 8 and 10d with strategic partner "Bechtel and Enka", which is expected to be completed in four years and seven months.

The public enterprise's projects take place over several years, with about 900 kilometers of the road network completed and being implemented between 2021 and 2023.

"Of these, 630 kilometers of state roads have been built, reconstructed and rehabilitated during this period. Currently, we have another 160 km of highways under construction, 51 km of express roads and the construction and rehabilitation of 65 km of regional roads with an investment value of over EUR 2 billion. All these completed and ongoing projects show that we haven't stopped this year and that is why we can proudly say that we have set another record - investments that reached EUR 400 million," said Rustemi.  

For 2024, in addition to the ongoing activities that will continue into the next year, the construction of new roads with an estimated value of EUR 367 million is planned.

"We also have ambitious plans and projections for the coming year. Together with my employees, to whom I am grateful for their commitment to the projects, we are ready for new record numbers. We build for future generations, we build for the future of our country, we build so as to connect with the world," Rustemi said. 

Minister of Transport and Communications Blagoj Bochvarski said he believes that they are on the right track in achieving the goal of the country having modern, high-quality and safe roads that will connect it with its neighbors and with Europe.

"The Government ends 2023 with a new record level of realized capital investments, and the State Roads director announced the capital investments of the enterprise. To this day, to this moment, I can say that the Government's capital investments reached a new record of EUR 540 million. I expect this number to grow until the last day of this calendar year, 2023. Last year we had EUR 465 million, as a kind of record in 2022, and 2023 is already at EUR 540 million," said Bochvarski, pointing out that the focus is on the two European Corridors 8 and 10d. 

He noted that in the past year over 30 regional roads have been rehabilitated and reconstructed in all regions of the country and EUR 10 million have been invested in the reconstruction of over 100 local roads in the territories of the municipalities under their authority.

First Deputy PM Artan Grubi, who is also the coordinator of the project for the construction of the Corridors 8 and 10d sections with the "Bechtel and Enka" consortium, said in his address that the Government in the last three years has over 85 percent realization of capital investments in each of the years.  

He extended congratulations to the State Roads Public Enterprise, adding that the employees have excelled themselves because this year they have achieved on average as much as they achieve in three years time.

"This means our institutions have capacity... I am very proud of your work, with your results delivered, especially in terms of the Corridors 8 and 10d. I hope, and I am convinced, if we all work together, that we will see each other here in four years time, and also on the ground, where we will launch the lanes on all these highways," said Grubi. 

Photo: MIA