The European Union and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) are financing a new motorway section in North Macedonia, from the capital Skopje to Blace Interchange, close to the border with Kosovo. The new road will provide faster and easier connections for trade and citizens.

An EU investment grant of €20.8 million, as well as €8.8 million in funding for technical cooperation to prepare, implement and supervise the works, will be complemented by a €167.6 million loan from the EBRD to construct the motorway. The strategic road section will improve links in the region and to the European Union. It is part of a transport artery from Skopje to Kosovo’s capital, Pristina, which has seen increased traffic volumes in recent years, and is also part of a larger European road network connecting Sweden to Greece through the Western Balkans. 

The new dual two-lane motorway will run parallel to the existing A4 national road, a single carriageway constructed more than 50 years ago. This will lead to significant traffic and road safety improvements. It is also expected to have a positive impact on employment through enhanced connectivity and economic integration within the region.