EU and EBRD supports strategic road sections in Albania and Kosovo

The Tirana bypass, a 21.5 km long section of the Mediterranean Corridor, will benefit from an investment grant by the European Union as well as finance from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. The bypass will provide a key link between two road arteries: one leading from Trieste in Italy to Kalamata in Greece and another connecting Albania’s regions and North Macedonia to the port of Durrës. The assistance will come after the EU and EBRD, approved through the Western Balkans Investment Framework €77.6 million in investment grants and technical cooperation for projects supported by a further €204 million in EBRD finance. In Kosovo, the EU funds will help to build a key road section between the capital Pristina and the crossing point at Merdare in Serbia, as part of the Peace Highway. This infrastructure development is expected to improve regional trade and provide closer links to vital export markets, in particular EU countries. It is the shortest transport route in the region from the port of Durrës in Albania on the Adriatic coast to south-eastern and central Europe as well as to the Black Sea.Another project in Kosovo, will be the upgrade of the local wastewater treatment plant and sewerage network for the citizens of Mitrovica. Since the start of its operations, the EBRD has invested almost €1.5 billion in over 100 projects in Albania, €2.7 billion in more than 180 projects in Bosnia and Herzegovina and over €500 million in more than 70 projects in Kosovo.