Karakaçi said the award cleared the way for work to begin on a project that had faced delays after previous procurement efforts failed to produce a successful outcome.

“The selection of the winning bidder makes it possible for the implementation of this long-awaited infrastructure project to finally begin,” he said.

The 17-km road will run from the Milot interchange, where it will connect to the Milot-Thumane-Kashar-Lekaj route and the Nation’s Road motorway, before linking to the existing Tirana-Shkodra highway at Balldren.

The Minister said authorities would work to launch construction as soon as possible and complete the project within the planned timeframe.

The Milot-Balldren section forms part of the Adriatic-Ionian Corridor, a regional transport route intended to improve connectivity across the Western Balkans. It is also linked to broader government efforts to upgrade infrastructure and support economic development in northern Albania.

Karakaçi noted that the government recently unveiled the 100-million-euro “Gateway to the Alps” initiative, aimed at supporting infrastructure, tourism and economic development projects across the region.

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