This year's highway, Lekaj doesn't know if they'll fine Bechtel Enka

Citizens attending Pristina- Skopje will also travel the long roads for a while, as the highway is not ready to be released for circulation. On the contrary, the highway cuts distance between the two capitals -- Pristina and Skopje.

Minister Pal Lekaj says the entire segment of the road is finished except for the bridge. He believes the highway will be very quickly circulated, while for delays caused by these works, contracts will be viewed with Bechtel-Ekan, which can even be fined.

The contract is signed for the work to be completed by 2018, according to some predictions that the highway will not be issued for use. The entire segment of the road is finished except for the bridge. As far as the bridge is concerned, specific things cannot be jeopardised by the” project, Lekaj said on Tuesday.

Furthermore, Lekaj said they could not determine any fine without the contract being looked at and without making sure where there are violations. The minister stressed that the government's contract with Bechtel-Enan will be respected in due course.

We'll look at the contract at the expected point and be respected in exact order. All that's involved in the contract will be implemented correctly. I don't think there's going to be much extension of the work, depending on the time”, Lekaj concluded.

Months ago, the Turkish-American consortium “Bechtel & Enka” charged the Haradinaj government with a 53.1m-euro bill for procrastination of the works, as well as for delays in vehicle payments or said they cut off the works on the “Arboni Xhaferi” to send the subject to international Arbitrazh.

Afterward, the Haradinaj government made a decision to pay off this debt, which it is said has not yet been paid.

The expectations are for this highway to cut the distance between the two capitals (Pristina- Skopje) and impact on increasing exchange of goods and easier movement of people from both countries.