The first 5.5 km section of the Niš-Merdare highway was opened today by Republic of Serbia President Aleksandar Vučić and the Ambassador of the European Union to Serbia Emanuele Giaufret, in the presence of representatives of EIB Global, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and Serbian ministers. The contract for this first section of the highway was signed in September 2021 during the visit of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

The project is expected to cost around €650 million in total. The cost of the 33 km Niš-Pločnik section is estimated at €255 million, partly financed with a grant of over €40 million from the European Union channelled through the Western Balkans Investment Framework. Over €180 million is secured through favourable loans from EIB Global and the EBRD, while the rest will come from the Serbian government. The 40 km Pločnik-Merdare section of the motorway will be constructed in the second phase of the project. The Niš-Merdare Highway E-80, also known as the “Peace Highway“, forms part of the arterial route linking Bulgaria with the Adriatic Sea towards Albania, and thus has a wider regional dimension.