I expect that in December we will select a contractor for the construction of the Skopje - Blace and Kicevo - Bukojcan highways. If weather conditions allow, work will begin immediately, if not, work will begin in the spring, says Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport, Aleksandar Nikolloski, speaking about the dynamics of the construction of highways on Corridor 8.
"The deadline for submitting bids has passed, many bids have been submitted, due to the secrecy of the procedure I cannot say the number, but it is quite large. There are serious bids and at least three of them are within the budget for Skopje - Blace, while there are also three bids for the Kicevo - Bukojcani highway. It is very important for Skopje - Blace that we managed to return the project to normality. What we inherited was 27 million euros per kilometer, which I think everyone will agree is unsustainable. Now we have returned it within the price agreed with the EBRD, where we have a loan of 166 million euros and a grant of 30 million euros, which also includes the execution of construction works, supervision and technical assistance for the NPRRSH. I expect to select a contractor in the first half of December and, depending on weather conditions, put them into operation, while the deadline there is 2,5 years," he said. Nikolloski in the interview on "TV Alsat".
The Deputy Prime Minister announced that work is underway on a project to reconstruct the Skopje ring road, while intensive work is also underway on other highways in Corridor 8.
"We are working on a project for the complete reconstruction and rehabilitation of the Skopje ring road, which runs from Haracina to Gjorce Petrov. We are working on the new Tetovo-Gostivar highway, the dynamics are going great. There we had certain problems with the demolition of certain buildings, but this is also being resolved, the land is being expropriated. We are also working on the famous Gostivar-Bukojcani Highway, a project that is a personal pride for me, because it is a very difficult and complicated engineering project. Of the 33 km of the entire route, the first 17 km have been completed. Work will begin on the Bukojcani side in the spring and this will be the first highway to be joined in half," emphasized Deputy Prime Minister Nikoloski.
He also announced that new sections of the Kicevo-Ohrid highway will be opened to traffic in the first half of December.
