Albanian project providing vital link

Construction work has started on Albania’s latest highway project, which will connect the capital Tirana with the city of Elbasan in the centre of the country. Construction work on a 32km stretch of the highway, including a 4.3km tunnel, is being carried out by Greek contractor Aktor.

Work is progressing on track for construction of the new highway linking Albania’s capital Tirana with the city of Elbasan. The Albanian Public Works Ministry expects the Tirana-Elbasan highway to be opened in the second quarter of 2013. Contractors Aktor and Copri are working on the project and most of the major engineering work has been completed. The project is being funded by backers including the Islamic Bank of Development and the OPEC Fund, as well as the Albanian Government.

A new highway stretch measuring 28km long is opening in Macedonia. The work has been carried out by the Greek contractor Aktor. The project has cost €227 million. The new highway section runs from Demir Kapija to Smokvica. Financing has been provided jointly by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the European Investment Bank (EIB), a number of funds and also by Macedonia’s own budget. The completion of this section of highway now completes the route connecting the north and south of

Construction of the 77km-long Merdare-Nis highway in Serbia is to benefit from external financing. A funding package worth €100 million is being supplied by the European Investment Bank (EIB) for the project. The funding will pay for work on a stretch of the route between Plocnik and Nis in southern Serbia. The highway will improve transport connections with neighbouring Kosovo when it is complete. This project forms part of a series of road building operations in the region, with extensive work having been

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is providing major funding in Albania’s road network. A loan worth €53 million will help pay for the construction of the new Fier and Vlore bypasses. This loan will aid further development of the Albanian road network and boosting economic integration in the country by co-financing the construction of the two bypass roads, located in south-western Albania. The EBRD loan is structured in two tranches and will be used by the Albanian Road Authority t