Gostivar, 28 October 2024 (MIA) - A Government delegation led by Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski carried out an inspection of the works on the Corridor VIII motorway section Gostivar-Bukojchani on Monday.

State Roads public enterprise director Koce Trajanovski said the property expropriation along the route is ongoing, with more than half of the cases already closed.

"We will complete the expropriation process by the end of the year, thus giving contractor Bechtel-Enka a clear field to work on. It is important that we work as a team and finish this project," Trajanovski told reporters.

PM Mickoski said that after two years of promises, the country can finally be seen as a transport, railway and energy crossroad.

"This is our dream, my dream, and I will do everything in my power as PM to make this a reality. We are a land-locked country and some may consider this as a handicap, but we should be smart and turn this shortcoming into an advantage, since we are a natural crossroad of two very significant corridors - VIII and X", said Mickoski.

Minister of Transport Aleksandar Nikoloski said the Corridor VIII project is the first of this magnitude in the last 50 years, resulting in a six-lane freeway.

"It will bypass Gostivar, above the river Vardar, with three large bridges bypassing the Strazha mountain pass and link up with the Bukojchani area. From there, it will connect with the Kichevo-Ohrid motorway that is already being constructed," said Nikoloski.

United States Ambassador Angela Aggeler said the project was a proof of the excellent partnership between the U.S. and North Macedonia.

"This benefits the citizens of the country, it will help trade and investment. And as other companies, including large U.S. companies, look at projects like this, it will be the evidence they need to know that investing in this country makes sense, because you can make progress," noted Ambassador Aggeler.

The previous government signed the contract with U.S.-Turkish consortium Bechtel-Enka over the construction of the corridors in March 2023 and it foresees the construction of motorway sections Tetovo-Gostivar-Bukojchani and Trebenishta-Struga-Kjafasan as part of Corridor VIII and the Prilep-Bitola motorway sections as part of Corridor X-d.

Photo: Government