A thawing of political relations between Serbia and Kosovo and Albania is resulting in progress with regard to transportation. The premiers of Albania and Serbia are planning to agree a deal for a new highway connecting the countries. This is of major significance for the region and a sign of important diplomatic progress, which will also be of economic benefit. The new Nis-Merdare-Prishtina-Tirana-Drac highway is expected to cost in the region of €1 billion to construct. Preparations for the project began six months ago. However, a project study has yet to be completed, after which a more accurate cost estimate will be available.
The highway between Kosovo’s capital and the Albanian border was constructed by the joint venture partners Bechtel and Enka in recent years while the link from the border to Albania’s capital Tirana is also comparatively new. This new highway section will connect Pristina to Nis in Serbia, allowing drivers access to Albania’s seaport at Durrës. The highway will cut transport times along the route as vehicle speeds are limited on the existing road, which often suffers delays due to heavy traffic.
