Skopje, 19 August 2024 (MIA) - State Roads public enterprise director Koce Trajanovski told journalists Monday he hopes Bechtel-Enka will be able to begin work on the ground on the Corridor VIII and X-d motorway sections before New Year’s, once the necessary expropriation and dislocation of electrical and telecommunication lines is completed.

According to Trajanovski, intensive work is underway on the expropriation for which the previous set deadlines for 2023, while the funds for it are separate from the planned EUR 1.3 billion for the construction of the motorway.

“The previous Government set deadlines for the expropriation and dislocation of electrical and telecommunication lines which the Republic of Macedonia is in charge of, and they are not a part of those EUR 1.3 billion, to be completed in 2023. We are working hard on the expropriation. They are unable to begin working until we complete the expropriation. Even the design is the responsibility of the Republic of Macedonia and is not a part of those EUR 1.3 billion, so we are working hard to ensure Bechtel-Enka begins work as soon as possible. I hope that they will be able to begin work on the ground before New Year’s,” Trajanovski said.

U.S. – Turkish consortium Bechtel-Enka signed an Agreement with the previous Government obliging it to construct four motorway sections as part of corridors VIII and X-d in the length of 110 kilometers by 2027. The Agreement includes Corridor VIII motorway sections Trebenishte – Struga – Kjafasan (22.5 kilometers), Gostivar – Bukojchani (30.1 kilometers) and Corridor X-d section Prilep – Bitola (40 kilometers).

Photo: MIA