Extra Euro 18 mln approved for Levan-Vlore highway

TIRANA, July 9 – The Levan-Vlore highway linking Fier to the southern coastal city of Vlora will cost the Albanian government an extra 18 million euros. Government officials say the additional funds are needed because of some technical problems and miscalculations made during the design of the project back in 2004 when the Socialists were in power.
Transport and Public Works Minister Sokol Olldashi says the new funds include Euro 4.9 million in miscalculations, Euro 2 million for a stabilized layer not foreseen in the project, Euro 3 million for the rehabilitation of River Vjosa’s bed and an extra Euro 2 million in environmental protection.
The extra amount, which will be funded by the EBRD was approved by the parliamentary economy committee amid debates with opposition Socialist Party MPs who accused government of mismanagement and corruption.
“This road segment, and not the only one, is a total electoral, political and technical failure. There is a corruption affair in this road which is totally part of the well-governance farce especially in Albania’s road infrastructure. No doubt, the road will cost Albanians 18 millions more without including the interest expenditure,” said opposition Socialist Party MP and deputy head of the committee Mimi Kodheli.
The 24-km highway which is being built by Austria’s Albin was initially scheduled to finish in 2009 but was delayed due to changes to the project and expropriation problems. The highway’s final works are expected to finish at the end of August 2012
The first 16 kilometres of the southern Levan-Vlore highway opened to traffic in May 2011.
The highway is part of the North-South road corridor of Albania and the Trans European Corridor VIII.
The project involved the construction of a new 24.2 km road with 4-lanes from Levan to Vlore crossing the River Vjosa valley and along the edge of the Narta Lagoon. The new road is expected to improve capacity, traffic safety and travel times on this major north-south road axis. The project is also important for the economic development of the coastal area. The highway whose cost is estimated at 60 million euros is co-funded by the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).