At construction site of Fier Bypass Road project

Prime Minister Edi Rama and the Minister of Infrastructure and Energy Damian Gjiknuri inspected the ongoing works on the Fier Bypass Road project, a road segment of major importance for tourism and agriculture development in the southern region of Fier, known as the breadbasket of Albania’s agriculture.

Highlighting the fact that the Fier bypass road project resumed after a series of inherited problems, stemming from an irresponsible contract, were ultimately addressed, Prime Minister Rama urged the construction firms to work intensively in order to ensure that at least one of the road’s lanes opens to traffic ahead of the upcoming summer tourist season.

“For years, the project had become a kind of rope knot around our neck. We inherited a super miserable contract, based on an irresponsible offer and a contract that has entered through difficult legal channels, but we did utmost efforts to set it in motion. It was impossible. We were then forced to terminate the contract and renew it from scratch together with the European Bank and finally today we have reach at a point when we will resume works to construct the project. But, from now on, we will have no excuse to show up in front of the people should the road doesn’t open to traffic next summer. One lane should absolutely open to traffic by next summer and the construction companies should be working day and night,” PM Rama said in his remarks.

The Head of the Albanian Road Authority Afrim Qendro stated that one lane of the bypass road will open to traffic by next summer tourist season.

“Construction work is fully underway. Works have kicked off in a number of areas along the 22-km dual carriage bypass road. It is a well-functioning construction site. I am fully confident that one of the lanes will open to traffic ahead of next tourism season and work will then continue to complete entire project,” Qendro said.

The specialists overseeing the ongoing works said that around 50 percent of the total volume of works have completed so far.

The 22-km Fier bypass road with an estimated construction cost of 60 million euros funded by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the European Investment Bank is an important part of the major road corridor linking Albania’s north and south and passes through Lushnja and Vlora.