The construction of the highway section from Mateševo to Andrijevica will be a demanding project. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) estimates that the total cost of the project, including the conceptual design, will be 650 million euros, with the expected cost per kilometer, including land expropriation, around 25 million euros.
This was stated by the Prime Minister, Milojko Spajić, in an interview on the Montenegro Television program “Okvir.”
Speaking about the budget for the upcoming year, Spajić highlighted the positive financial balance, noting that revenues now cover current expenditures. This has been the case for the past four years, a trend that was not seen before 2020. He emphasized that this current surplus is significant and has been achieved without increasing the general VAT rate.
“This budget reflects that. We will have a record capital budget and a record number of projects,” said Spajić.
He also pointed out that when they took office, the government was essentially starting from scratch, with no conceptual plans for highways or fast roads. He noted that they had to begin from zero on 18 key infrastructure projects. Monteput has already signed contracts for conceptual designs for projects such as the fast road from Danilovgrad to Nikšić, the road from Crnča to the Bosnia and Herzegovina border, as well as projects from Andrijevica to Peć.
“These are things that often go unnoticed. People may not think about them, and sometimes large projects we are working on are underestimated. I understand that this might be politically profitable for some, but for us, it’s important to work for the citizens,” Spajić added.
He reminded that former President Milo Đukanović, together with regional officials, first introduced the highway project in 2009, with construction starting in 2015 after six years of delays.
“I would like opposition colleagues to remember that when they criticize us,” said the Prime Minister.
Spajić explained that the plan was to start the highway construction in the fall of this year, with many preparations already made using domestic funds. However, by that time, they would have lost the grant and credit under very favorable conditions.
“Europe initially insisted on a fast road, but in the end, they accepted our argument to make it a highway. With the grant and favorable loans, this project will have a positive return on investment,” said Spajić.
He concluded that the construction of the highway from Mateševo to Andrijevica will be particularly challenging.
“The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development estimates that the total project with the conceptual design will cost 650 million euros, and the cost per kilometer, including expropriation, will be about 25 million euros,” explained the Prime Minister.
