AL
DE
Construction on Kosovo’s second highway could begin this year. The Ministry of Finance has received green light from the International Monetary Fund to initiate procedures for the construction of “Route 6”, which will connect Prishtina to the border point Hani i Elezit, in the direction of Skopje, FYROM. This was confirmed by the Minister of Finance, Bedri Hamza, according to daily newspaper „Koha Ditore“.
The construction of this highway will not have any budgetary implications during the year.According to him, if available, tendering procedures could start this week, but they can last until next year.
Officials in the Ministry of Infrastructure have stated that there will be no delays in the construction of the highway. According to them, the highway Pristina – Hani i Elezit, also called “Route 6″, will start construction no later than early 2013 or even earlier, by the end of this year.”During the year 2012, we will finish all the procedures such as expression of interest from companies that will build it, we will finalize the tender package and finally select the winning company,” is indicated by an official of this ministry.
Kosovo’s government has promised the IMF that they would give up on this project at least until 2013. According to this official document, only in case of the proper planning under World Bank assistance and a favorable version for financing the construction of “Route 6”, would made the tendering procedures possible during this year.
The highway is expected to have a cost of nearly 600 million EUR, as required by the Medium Term Expenditure Framework 2012-2014. However, the final cost will be known only after the companies compete the expression of interest tender.
/Koha/