Construction of the first ever motorway in Eastern Macedonia has began. Foundation stone was laid today, near the settlement Tri Ceshmi, of the new 47 kilometers long motorway section Miladinovci – Sveti Nikole – Stip, in presence of the Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski, Vice Prime Minister Vladimir Pesevski, Government Ministers, Ambassadors, Mayors…

– Today is a historic day for Eastern Macedonia. The implementation of the project that was long talked about has started, its construction begins today, here in Stip, following the construction of “Goce Delcev” university and the free economic zone, showing that VMRO-DPMNE keep their promises. February 2014 will be remembered as the date when construction of the first ever motorway in Eastern Macedonia has started, said Gruevski.
– The Government, he added, initiated the implementation of this project in 2007 by adopting the necessary documentation and looking for a concessionaire, but after several years of no success in that, in 2012 finally negotiations began with the Government of the People’s Republic of China for a favorable loan for the construction of Miladinovci – Stip Motorway.

– According to the Contract, minimum 49 percent of the construction works on this section will be executed by Macedonian companies, and at least 51 percent of the staff engaged by the contractor and subcontractors will be from Macedonia, said Gruevski, adding that the project is being realized with a 206 million Euros credit with favorable terms, i.e. 20 years repayment term, 5 years of grace period and 2 percent interest rate.
According to the Vice Prime Minister Vladimir Pesevski, the new motorway is of great economic importance for the whole country. It will enable fast communication and transport of goods from Eastern Macedonia, as well as improve the tourism development in the eastern part of the country, emphasized Pesevski.
Transport and Communications Minister Mile Janakieski stressed that the first motorway in Eastern Macedonia of 47 kilometers would connect that part of the country with the Capital city.
– The Election Program of VMRO-DPMNE for 2011-2015, page 65, reads that a motorway will be constructed from Skopje to Stip, i.e. a route from Miladinovci to Stip via Sveti Nikole, as a completely new solution for connecting the eastern part of the country to the Capital city. The road will be 27 meters wide, with two plus one (auxiliary) lane, said Janakieski.
The new motorway section will be constructed by the Chinese company “Sinohydro Corporation Limited”, with which the Government signed a contract last December.
According to H.E. Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Macedonia, Mr. Cui Zhiwei, the implementation of this project will provide the citizens of Eastern Macedonia with a modern and high-quality motorway.
“Sinohydro Corporation Limited” representative Mr. Zeng Xingiliang, stated that they, as a construction company, had been given a great responsibility.
– I would like to see this project successfully accomplished, and you having a modern motorway. Sinohydro will, therefore, make maximum efforts throughout the whole project implementation, he said.
The Director of the Public Enterprise for State Roads Ljupco Georgievski summarized that from 2012 construction had started of 132 kilometers of motorways throughout the country, meaning that in the next four years the country will have by 50 percent larger motorway network.
– This section will be 47 kilometers long and 27.4 meters wide. It will have dual carriageway, each 10.7 meters wide, and a six-meter wide median between them. Seven junctions will be constructed along this motorway section, serving as entrance and exit points to and from the cities and other settlements. The motorway section will also include eight overpasses, five underpasses, 154 meters long reinforced concrete bridge, and five viaducts of 718 meters total length, said Georgievski.
Source: MIA