Plans for Serbia-Kosovo highway

Plans are moving forward for a new highway that will link Kosovo’s capital Pristina with Belgrade, the capital of neighbouring Serbia. The project is of importance as it reveals the continued improvement in diplomatic relations between Serbia and Kosovo. Serbia’s Ministry of Construction says that work on the route will commence in the first half 2017. The financing model for the project has yet to be established. Talks are being held with European partners. The cost of the project has not yet been revealed. The route is of importance as it will connect Serbia with Albania, with the highway running through Kosovo in between. The highways from Albania’s capital Tirana to its border with Kosovo and from the Albanian border to Kosovo’s capital Pristina were constructed by the 4138 Bechtel 5252 Enka joint venture. The Bechtel Enka joint venture also constructed the highway from Pristina to the border with neighbouring Macedonia. The tender process for the Pristina-Serbia route has yet to be announced but it seems likely that with its success on previous projects in the region, the Bechtel Enka joint venture partners will bid for the work.