Skopje‑Bllacë highway project starts, €200 million EU funds allocated

North Macedonian officials announced that construction of the Skopje‑Bllacë highway, a key cross‑border link with Kosovo, will commence in July after the allocation of €200 million in European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (BERZh) financing. The project includes five tunnels, twelve bridges, two galleries and about forty engineering structures spanning roughly 10.8 km of the remaining route.

The highway is intended to strengthen economic ties and trade corridors between North Macedonia and Kosovo, forming part of the regional Corridor 8 network. The contract has been awarded to a domestic consortium led by the construction firm Granit, following a tender coordinated with the Public Road Agency and BERZh. Local politicians, including Izet Mexhiti, Bilall Kasami and Transport Deputy Minister Kaltrina Zekolli, highlighted the project's strategic importance, while the opposition Democratic Integration Party (BDI) claimed it originated from its earlier government.

The work is slated to be completed within about 3.5 years, promising faster, safer transport for citizens and businesses on both sides of the border.