Kosovo’s caretaker Prime Minister Albin Kurti has said the construction of the Skopje–Blace road will significantly strengthen infrastructure links between Kosovo and North Macedonia, while creating new opportunities for citizens and businesses on both sides of the border.
Kurti made the remarks during a ceremony in North Macedonia marking the start of construction works on the Skopje–Blace road, attended by North Macedonian Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski and officials from both governments.
Kurti said the project’s importance goes beyond infrastructure, arguing that the new road will shorten travel distances, facilitate movement and deepen economic and social cooperation between the two countries.
“Beyond shortening the distance, it will facilitate movement and create new opportunities for cooperation for the citizens and economies of both countries. We are two states with a high volume of movement of citizens on both sides of the border,” Kurti said.
He noted that families, students, workers, professionals and businesses travel daily between Kosovo and North Macedonia.
Kurti also highlighted the importance of cross-border freight traffic, saying that around 54,000 trucks pass annually through the Hani i Elezit border crossing, equivalent to approximately 150 trucks per day.
PDK and Alliance continue pressure on Kurti
While Kurti was attending the ceremony in North Macedonia, Kosovo’s Democratic Party (PDK) and the Alliance continued political activities outside the government building in Prishtina, calling on the caretaker prime minister to return to the Assembly and enable the constitution of the new legislature.
Representatives of the two parties said Kurti must assume the responsibility entrusted to him by voters.
PDK MP Ariana Musliu-Shoshi said the purpose of the protest was to remind Kurti that “no one is above the Constitution.”
The activities are part of the opposition parties’ continued efforts to push for the resumption of the constitutive session and the full functioning of Kosovo’s new institutions.
PDK began holding such activities outside the government building on August 13.
The constitutive session of Kosovo’s 11th legislature began on August 6 and continued on August 8 before being suspended.
The political dispute over the constitution of the Assembly continues as Kosovo’s institutions remain in a transitional phase, while the government also pursues regional infrastructure and cooperation initiatives with neighboring countries.
