Tirana, 11 December 2024 (MIA) — Albania and North Macedonia will be connected by a new border crossing on Corridor 8, and construction works continue on both sides simultaneously, according to Albanian Minister of Infrastructure and Energy Belinda Balluku, MIA's Tirana correspondent reports.

"While we are building toward North Macedonia, North Macedonia is building toward Albania," Balluku said.

Corridor 8 will connect at the Bushtrica bridge, where there will be a tunnel and a new border crossing, Albania's infrastructure minister said.

After inspecting the works on the complete reconstruction and expansion of the Elbasan-Kjafasan border crossing road, Balluku said the project would also include the construction of two 200-meter bridges connected by a tunnel.

Praising the fast-paced work, she said the reconstructed Elbasan-Kjafasan road would have four lanes, two on each side, and the speed limit would be 110 kilometers per hour.

According to her, instead of the 1 hour and 30 minutes it took to get from Kjafasan to Elbasan driving down the old road, the 50 km between the two would now be covered in 35 minutes.

The construction project began in December 2022. A part of the road, where road signs have been placed, was put in operation in June 2024. mr/