Kukes-Morine ends in 2009, says minister

TIRANA, Sept. 4 – Minister of public affairs, transport and telecommunications Lulzim Basha said Monday that the Durres-Kukes-Morine road would end in 2009. companies have started to work at the Kalimash-Morine segment, which was considered as the most difficult one. The minister said that all seven companies rehabilitating segments in that road have started working. The most difficult part Rreshen-Kalimash is to be reconstructed and built by the U.S. company Bechtel. The government is negotiating with the company and plan to close negotiations during the first two weeks of September. The segment has a long tunnel which will take much time and money to build.
The 115 kilometer long road segment would ask for some 400-500 million euro investment. It will be in most of the part a four-lane highway of EU 2005 standards to allow the transport of passengers from Prizren to Tirana for about two hours and no more than three hours for commerce transport,” according to Basha. He considered the Kukes-Morine axis important not only for Albania but also a strategic one for the region.