Preparatory works begin for the Budva bypass: an investment of about 240 million euros, Spajic: “not an expense, but an investment”

The preparatory works for the Budva bypass, namely the Markoviqi–Lastva Grbaljska expressway, began today, as Vijesti reports. At the ceremony on the occasion of the start of the works, Prime Minister Milojko Spajic assessed that the project will bring traffic relief, especially in summer during the tourist season. “Today is the day when words give way to deeds. This project will bring traffic relief, particularly in summer during the tourist season. Today we are witnessing that the road, however difficult it may seem, is passable with persistent work,” Spajic said.

The expected value of the project including VAT is about 240 million euros — “not an expense, but an investment”, the prime minister said. He stressed that the government’s role does not end today: “We will follow the pace of the works closely and whether the deadlines are respected.” According to him, the project is not an isolated case, but part of a broader picture in which Montenegro is building a wide road network: it is a continuation and improvement of the Tivat–Jaz boulevard, adding new value for the airport, and its effects will be felt by all families who live from tourism.

Transport Minister Radosh Zecevic said Montenegro is a big construction site and that such projects are being carried out everywhere. “We finally reached the phase where work begins. There are no more stories, today we follow you (the contractors)”, Zecevic said, also announcing that the reconstruction of the railway from Bar to Sutomore — “our jugular vein”, as he called it — will begin soon.

The general director of Monteput, Milan Lilanovic, said the bypass will increase traffic flow. The project is worth 196 million euros excluding VAT and, according to him, the Budva bypass is the beginning of the connection of Podgorica with the coast: “when the works are finished, from Markoviqi to Farmake it will take half an hour to travel.” Board member of Briv Construction, Dejan Gjurovic, said the preparatory works will last a year, until the end of October next year.

The contract for the design and construction of the Markoviqi–Lastva Grbaljska expressway segment, namely the Budva bypass, with a total value of 237.47 million euros including VAT, was signed at the end of June, Vijesti reports. The contractor is the consortium of the companies “Briv Construction”, “Herc gradnja”, “Hering”, “IPSA Institut” and “Shandong Foreign Economic & Technical Cooperation”. The project is financed from the capital budget; the segment begins at the Markoviqi junction and ends at the Lastva Grbaljska junction.