Skopje, 25 July 2025 (MIA) – Our ambition is to have a Corridor VIII connection via motorway and expressway from the Kjafasan border crossing with Albania to the Deve Bair border crossing with Bulgaria no later than 2029, said Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport Aleksandar Nikoloski on Thursday evening.

In a TV interview Thursday, Nikoloski outlined the Government and Ministry’s plan for the transport corridors.

The Deputy PM said work on the Ohrid – Kichevo section will conclude by the end of next year with a section to Struga, while construction cannot be done on the Trebenishta – Kjafasan section due to a ban from UNESCO.

“We are working with the EBRD (European Bank for Reconstruction and Development) on the 11-kilometer Kichevo – Bukojchani link. I expect the request for the submission of financial offers to be published on Monday, with the deadline for offers set for October 10 and a completion period of three years. Bechtel is intensively working on Bukojchani – Gostivar, and we managed to save the state EUR 250 million there. We’ve started work on the Gostivar – Tetovo section, which can realistically be completed quickly, but since there is a large population on both sides, we don’t want to disrupt traffic, so it will proceed in parallel with Bukojchani – Gostivar. That means it too should be completed in three years from now. There already is a motorway on the Tetovo – Skopje section, as well as on the Skopje – Kumanovo section. We are currently seeking funding from the EU for the Kumanovo – Stracin expressway, while Stracin – Kriva Palanka was opened in January of this year,” Nikoloski said.

Nikoloski also noted that work is currently underway on a complete reconstruction of the Deve Bair border crossing with Bulgaria.

Photo: MIA