Skopje‑Blace highway project secures €30.8 million grant, construction to start August

The Macedonian government signed a financing agreement with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) for the Skopje‑Blace highway. The deal provides a €30.8 million grant from the EU Western Balkans Investment Window and a €167.6 million loan, bringing the total project cost to about €198.4 million. The 12‑kilometre route, including a new 10.5‑kilometre mountain segment, will feature five dual‑tube tunnels, nine bridges, eleven under‑passes, four galleries and supporting retaining walls. Construction is slated to begin in August and is planned to be completed within four years. The domestic construction firm Granit has been chosen as the main contractor. The highway forms part of Trans‑European Route 6, linking Skopje with Pristina, Tirana, Durrës and Bar, and is presented as a strategic corridor to boost regional trade, tourism and economic development.