Skopje, 2 March 2026 (MIA) - The project left out key elements, including the elastic barrier and wire fencing on the motorway and slopes. That is why Parliament extended the deadline for the Kichevo–Ohrid motorway and approved additional funds, Transport Minister Aleksandar Nikoloski said Monday evening.

In an interview for MRT 1, Nikoloski noted that the additional €186 million is intended for galleries and the previously omitted shoulders and interchanges, while the extension is the result of identified technical shortcomings, financial requirements, and the need for administrative registration of the project.

He pointed to the absence of safety equipment as one of the biggest paradoxes in the planning process so far.

“The project left out key elements, including the elastic barrier and wire fencing on the motorway and slopes. And this will cost the state an extra €37 million, simply because it was not planned from the beginning,” Nikoloski said.

Despite the revised legal deadline, the minister said the construction will be finished within the promised period.

“The deadline stays 31 December 2026. We agreed with the contractor to waive all claims until that date, which means the state will not pay anything beyond what was planned,” Nikoloski said.

Nikolovski said that Parliament granted an extra five months for surveys and commission inspections needed for the final registration of the motorway, since nearly the entire road network has been technically considered unregistered construction.

According to Nikoloski, this project remains financially more favorable than newer contracts for other road corridors.

“This is still the cheapest motorway currently under construction in North Macedonia. The average cost per kilometer for the Kichevo–Ohrid motorway is about €13.5 million, which is lower than the average of €16 million under the contract with Bechtel & Enka or the projected €20 million per kilometer for the Kichevo–Bukojchani and Skopje–Blace sections,” Nikoloski said.

Photo: screenshot