In a televised interview after inauguration of the first segment of the Blue Corridor between Thumane and Kashar, Balluku announced that construction of the highway’s second between the village of Kashar, Tirana, and the village of Lekaj in Rrogozhine, will kick off soon.

According to her, the contract on construction of the section between Thumane and Milot, further north, will be signed in the next few days, and the tender procedures will be launched soon for construction of the northern extension of the motorway between Milot and Balldre, Lezhe municipality.

Balluku underlined that building new road infrastructure network in line with highest European standards is a government’s top priority.

A day ago, Albania unveiled its first category A highway, meeting the European Union’s top standards for safety and speed.

The project marks a new era for highways in Albania, as the country continues to modernize its road infrastructure to support growth and development. The 21-km long highway will significantly cut travel time between these areas and the neighbouring countries, facilitate the movement of goods and people, and help drive economic growth in the region.

Motorists can expect a speed limit of 130 km/h, with state-of-the-art safety features ensuring a smooth and secure journey.

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The segment, part of Tirana Ring Road project, will significantly ease traffic and will further drive development  of the area that has been thriving over the past few years.

Prime Minister Edi Rama, accompanied by the Deputy Prime Minister Belinda Balluku, also the Minister of Infrastructure and Energy, and the Director of the Albanian Road Authority Evis Berberi, inspected the quality of work on construction of this road segment.

`Installing traffic signs, lighting system and greenery and construction works in accordance to the European standard will improve not only movement, but will also provide a fresh impetus to the area’s development.

“Over 85% of the construction works have completed. The road is not being opened temporarily, but permanently. This is a very important segment given its functions as it connects the road with the eastern ring, with motorists no longer obliged to take the roundabout to Elbasan and the traffic will no longer be blocked. It also serves this area, where an economic hub has been already developed. The drive time will also be shortened significantly, with access to all other parts of the Big Ring Road, a very complex project also in terms of the expropriations and the compensation we are providing to the property owners affected by the project in the area,” Deputy Prime Minister Balluku said.

Speaking about the expropriation and compensation process as part of the development projects, the government head sated that nobody would be allowed to take work and the city’s development hostage.

“The thing is that nobody can take the project hostage. The compensation formula is a very positive one and we are enforcing this formula for some years now, because we are seeking to promote social housing, we want to promote all our solidarity approach with all the social categories, with nobody being thrown out on the street. This was the case with the families at May 5 neighbourhood, who were presented with a generous offer of solidarity, although the majority of them had built totally illegally and possessed no ownership documents of whatsoever. However, they were initially granted rental bonus and they will be all provided social housing as soon as construction of the new apartment and residential buildings completes, after being included on a list that has certainly some priorities. Nobody can’t say “I don’t want this or that.” This is not the way things work. If you are to ask the majority of those who hamper such developments, they realize how much time they have wasted and how distressful it has all been for their families. But they have all settled now and due contracts have been signed with them. We can’t keep the city hostage just for the sake of certain individuals, who think that by resorting to the harsh rhetoric, although having violated the law, they can hinder development. They are just hostages being used for the most recent political debate,” PM Rama said.

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