Prime Minister Milojko Spajić announced today that Montenegro will issue a tender for the conceptual design of a new highway bypass around Podgorica, with a budget of €200 million.
“Today, we are moving forward with the tender for the conceptual design of the Podgorica bypass, which will be a highway connecting Smokovac to the existing highway. This route will link the northbound and westbound corridors, including the one leading to Nikšić, helping to ease traffic congestion significantly,” Spajić explained.
He highlighted the critical importance of these corridors for both Montenegro’s development and the broader region, as they form part of key international routes.
“This highway will eventually connect Podgorica to Belgrade and extend all the way to Budapest and other Central European destinations. The project is estimated to cost between €180-200 million and will cover over 10 kilometers,” he added.
Spajić also addressed the ongoing efforts to connect the corridor with Sarajevo.
“On the other side, we have the route from Podgorica and Nikšić towards Sarajevo. We have recently heard from the new EU ambassador that the Šćepan Polje project is being reconsidered. Montenegro has always been prepared to advance this project, but Bosnia and Herzegovina faced some internal issues that prevented us from finalizing it. There is political will in Bosnia and Herzegovina at various levels, and we are excited about the progress we will soon make on this crucial project,” Spajić said.
Milan Ljiljanić, Director of Monteput, provided details on the conceptual design for the highway segment from Smokovac to Tološi.
“This segment will span 10 kilometers, and the cost of the conceptual design is €830,000 plus VAT. We expect to complete this phase within 10 months,” Ljiljanić noted.
Transport Minister Maja Vukićević added that the goal is to finish these segments within the next five to seven years, depending on the pace of construction.
“Travelers using these new routes will experience more comfortable journeys,” she said.
Vukićević emphasized that the main focus remains on the Bar-Boljare highway project.
“We are currently in the tender phase for selecting a contractor for the second phase of the highway from Andrijevica to Mateševo, which is 22 kilometers long. We plan to complete this phase over the next five years and expect to sign a contract with the contractor by the end of this year. The tender process follows EBRD guidelines, and I am confident we will have the contract in place by the end of next year,” she announced.
Prime Minister Spajić apologized for the half-hour delay in the press conference, attributing it to a series of meetings.
