The Vlora River road, a long-promised but never finalized infrastructure project over the years, is inching near completion to allow Albanian and international visitors explore this treasure trove of Albania’s hidden nature paradise.

Prime Minister Edi Rama inspected the ongoing work on construction of the third section of the new road.

“This is the third second of the Vlora River road. Construction work on the second section has almost completed. Almost 90% of the section has been surfaced with asphalt pavement and the segment on the main bridge has yet to complete. Construction work on third section has kicked off for months now. Around 80% of the track road has completed and work is underway to construct its branches. One of the braches leads to Qeparo and the other to Kuç and it will connect with the Gusmar-Kuç road, 90% of which has already completed,” the Director of the Albanian Development Dritan Agolli said.

The Vlora River road and the segment linking Gusmar and Kuç areas will turn Upper Laberi region from the country’s most isolated area into a tourism hub. Providing Upper Laberi area access to Ionian Sea in west with Gjirokaster, Tepelene and Permet in South will serve as a new major engine for economy and Albanian tourism.

“We are very happy to expose this piece of Albania’s little known paradise,” Prime Minister Edi Rama said. With the construction of this two long-dreamed roads for local residents in these areas, although promised over years even by the then party’s first secretary and all the later administrations, we will be creating a whole new area for tourism development, we will be creating a fresh new space that adds up to Albania’s tourist destinations. We are also creating a space for development of rural economy, agritourism, diversification of our tourist portfolio, providing that Gjirokaster, Tepelena, Permet, Saranda, Vlora, Ionian coast and Laberi mountains are all included in the same tourist offer and, I reiterate, with the new road now with the procedures for the contract to be signed and start of construction of the road from Erseka to Përmet and road between Kolonje and Korça, which is scheduled to complete next year, we will practically provide connection and shorten drive time along entire southern Albania, which would allow tourists to the Ionian beaches travel to other little explored areas during summer season and ensure all year round tourism that will generate local economy, spur development of agritourism and make sure that all locally grown produce is part of the tourist offer.”