Today, an on-site inspection was made of the construction activities on the motorway sections Gostivar-Bukojchani and Kichevo-Ohrid, both part of the Corridor VIII, which is one of the most significant infrastructure projects in the country.
The Director of the Public Enterprise for State Roads, Koce Trajanovski, together with the President of the Government of the Republic of North Macedonia, Hristijan Mickoski, and the Vice-President of the Government, Aleksandar Nikoloski, during their inspection along the route, noted a significant progress of works, good on-site organization and a high level of engagement of machinery and workforce.
Corridor VIII is strategically important for the country and represents a key project for improving road connectivity, increasing traffic safety and stimulating economic development. The implementation of these sections will further position the country as an important transit route and an active part of the European transport networks.
“In terms of construction activities on the Gostivar–Bukojchani section, work is currently actively taking place on 11 kilometers out of the planned 31 kilometers. A camp for 1,200 people and a concrete production facility are in operation. Bridge B0070 at the seventh kilometer is fully passable, and final works on the roadway are ongoing. Works are also actively underway on two bridges, one overpass, and slope protection near Gostivar and surrounding settlements. The overall progress on this section amounts to 59.98%. On the Tetovo–Gostivar section, work is also proceeding smoothly on approximately 14 out of a total of 17.5 kilometers, with active infrastructure and earthworks without disrupting traffic in the surrounding settlements,” said the Director of the Public Enterprise for State Roads, Koce Trajanovski, in a statement to the media.
On the Kichevo–Ohrid motorway, in addition to the construction of 6 road galleries and 8 retaining walls, planned reforestation of slopes has also been carried out to ensure their long-term stabilization and protection against erosion. In the period from November to February, 200,000 seedlings were planted across four subsections. Pine, acacia, and maple trees were planted, and monitoring shows excellent progress of the seedlings. This activity contributes to increased road safety and environmental improvement.
The Kichevo–Ohrid motorway, with a total length of 57 kilometers, is entering its final phase. The total value of the project amounts to €803 million, of which approximately €629 million have been realized so far. A total of 953 workers and over 400 construction machines are engaged on-site under the leadership of Sinohydro, along with domestic companies Granit and Ilinden. The project is progressing with stable financial dynamics and a focus on high-quality and safe road infrastructure.
Rehabilitation works on the Preseka pass continue on the sections Izvor–Vrbjani and Botun–Klimeshtani, with a total length of 15.1 kilometers. The project is worth approximately €6.5 million, with current implementation at 50%. Activities are underway for laying new asphalt and installing modern safety equipment. The completion deadline is October 2026.
The competent institutions and the Government remain fully committed to continuously monitoring project implementation, meeting deadlines, and ensuring modern and safe road infrastructure in the interest of citizens and the long-term development of the country.