Skopje, 3 January 2022 (MIA) – Construction mechanization in the past year mostly saw work in terms of continuation and completion of current infrastructure projects in the road network, some of which were launched several years ago. Infrastructure in 2022 saw the official launch of the works on the railroad leading to Bulgaria, and the completion of the Shtip-Kochani express road. On the other hand, 2023 is expected to bring the completion of the Kichevo-Ohrid highway, and the launch of construction for Corridors 8 and 10D highways which will be built by the international consortium Bechtel-Enka, as well as the interconnector with Greece and the gas pipeline distribution network.

Works on railroad leading to Bulgaria officially launched in 2022

On October 29, 2022, Prime Minister Dimitar Kovachevski and Bulgarian counterpart Galab Donev attended the official launch of the works on the railroad leading to Bulgaria, after its construction was stopped in June 2020.

The construction works include two of the three sections within the 88,2km-long eastern end of railway Corridor 8 (Kumanovo-Beljakovce – 31km, Beljakovce-Kriva Palanka – 34km and Kriva Palanka-Bulgaria – 24km).

The construction of the first section Kumanovo-Beljakovce continues after an agreement worth EUR 40.5 million was signed with new contractor “Strabag” in July 2022. “Gulermak” will work on the second section worth EUR 155 million. Fifty-four percent of the first section has been built and the rest should be completed within 1-1.5 year to 2 years, whereas the second should be ready by the end of 2025. Tender documentation is being prepared for the third section, and the estimated value for the 24 km is EUR 405 million. National institutions are planning to complete the eastern end of Corridor 8 by 2027, followed by the western end section Kichevo-Lin by 2030.

End of 2023 deadline for completion of Kichevo-Ohrid highway construction

There was a promise that the first 20 km of the Kichevo-Ohrid highway which is under construction will be put into use in 2022. The actual situation on the ground shows that the right highway lane from Trebenishte to Ohrid has been completed and opened for traffic under a temporary regime, except near Podmolje, where construction works for the collector system are underway. The government assures that this time the construction of the highway, which began six years ago, will be completed within the stipulated period, with a financial construction of EUR 598 million. The construction is expected to be completed this year and, as announced by Prime Minister Dimitar Kovachevski, the highway should be put into use as of January 2024.

Activities are also underway on the ground for the construction of the Skopje-Blace highway section, but still in first phase of the first two kilometers.

Second chance in selection of construction supervision for highways to be built by Bechtel-Enka

The past year was also marked by the selection of legal supervision for the construction of the highways that will be built by Bechtel-Enka. The first procedure was canceled in August and a new tender was announced in September, in which IRD ENGINEERING was selected for supervision and legal transaction advisor for the construction of Corridor 8 and Corridor 10D highways. They should arrange and monitor on behalf of the Government the works for the construction of Gostivar – Kichevo sections, Tetovo – Gostivar highway, Trebenishte – Struga – Kjafasan highway and Prilep – Bitola highway. Works on the ground, according to the expectations of the authorities, would in fact start in spring.

As regards the construction of express roads, Shtip-Radovish as well as Shtip-Kochani express roads have been completed so far, after the second section Krupishte-Kochani – 13.7 km worth EUR 18.2 million was put into use. The first phase of the construction was completed in 2020 with the 14.3km-long Shtip-Krupishte section worth EUR 28.5 million.

Construction of Gradsko-Drenovo, Drenovo-Farish and Rankovce-Kriva Palanka express roads, as well as the third lane along Palanka-Deve Bair road is underway.

The 2023 budget of the Ministry of Transport and Communications includes EUR 324 million for investment in modern infrastructure, which is a 135 percent increase compared to 2022.

Construction of gas pipeline section Skopje-Gostivar in final stage, start of interconnector with Greece and distribution network

EUR 1.7 million are planned for gasification this year. The construction of the Skopje-Gostivar gas pipeline section is expected to be completed and works on the interconnector with Greece to start. Construction works on the 92km-long gas pipeline section Negotino-Kavadarci-Bitola were completed at the end of November 2022. The Negotino-Bitola section is to serve as the link with the Greece gas interconnector in 2023. The Ministry of Transport and Communications has already held several public debates on the 67km-long section from Negotino to the Greek border. Work is also underway on designing the sections Gostivar – Kichevo, Kichevo – Ohrid, as well as Sveti Nikole – Veles.

The entire 188km-long section from Kumanovo to Bitola is now complete. The 36km-long Shtip-Negotino section and the 92km-long Negotino-Kavadarci-Bitola section have also been finished, whereas the 76km-long Skopje-Tetovo-Gostivar pipeline and the 10km-long Tetovo fork is in the final stage.

A procedure on selecting a private partner for construction of the natural gas distribution network is underway. The Government expects it to be completed in the first half of 2023. A public private partnership agreement on the construction and operation of the natural gas distribution network is expected to be signed by spring, thus enabling the start of construction of the distribution network in 38 municipalities.

Authorities are also working on technical documentation for new interconnecting gas pipelines with Serbia and Kosovo, regarding which support has been received from the Energy Union. The project would get the country access to natural gas from Azerbaijan, i.e. from the Shah Deniz gas field, and it will be used both in the country as well as the countries in the region.

Capital investments in the 2023 budget total EUR 800 million. In 2020, they amounted to EUR 262 million, increasing to EUR 391 million in the 2021 budget, and to EUR 485 million with the 2021 supplementary budget, up to EUR 615 million being allocated in the 2022 budget. The execution of capital expenditures, according to Finance Minister Fatmir Besimi, accounts for 56 percent since the beginning of the year, being higher compared to the previous years, when their execution accounted for below 50 percent during the same period.

Lidija Velkovska

Translated by Nevenka Nikolikj

Photo: MIA archive