The total estimated value of the project for the construction of the second section of the motorway Mateševo-Andrijevica is 600 million EUR, according to the Financial Agreement between the Government and the European Commission for Trans-European Transport Networks in Montenegro, within the Multiannual Action Plan for the period until 2027.
The main goal of building this section of the motorway, as outlined in the draft agreement, is to achieve full regional connectivity, reduce regional imbalances, and integrate with the Trans-European Corridors network. This project aims to meet EU standards and goals related to the free flow of people, goods, services and capital, in line with the creation of the Western Balkans’ Single Economic Area and its integration into the European market.
The objective of this action and the Financial Agreement is to improve the existing transport infrastructure and strengthen road traffic, which is a national priority for Montenegro, particularly regarding the corridor connecting the Port of Bar, the country’s main port, to the Serbian border at Boljare.
The document highlights that improving transport links reduces congestion, facilitates trade within the country and cross-border trade, shortens travel times, and enhances road safety.
“Increased trade (both goods and services) leads to the creation of new jobs, fosters competitiveness, and creates better opportunities for cooperation and innovation. It will provide an efficient, safe, and fast connection between the less-developed northern and the more-developed southern areas of Montenegro, enabling the integration and connection of these areas and improving the flow of people and goods, which will also ease access to regional markets,” states the Financial Agreement.
Since the Bar-Boljare motorway is an extension of the Orient (Middle East)/Eastern Mediterranean (OIM) corridor to the Western Balkans, it will facilitate more efficient connectivity between the northern, central, and southern European countries and the Western Balkans. This will, in turn, increase the potential of the Port of Bar, improving its connection to the OIM corridor, which will boost exports for landlocked countries in the region.
The European Commission previously approved funds for this project through the Western Balkans Investment Framework, amounting to 7.5 million EUR for preparing the feasibility study, updating it, and preparing the conceptual design.
Additionally, in July this year, under the Economic and Investment Plan (EIP) for the Western Balkans, the Commission decided to finance a grant of 100 million EUR from IPA III funds to support the construction of the Bar-Boljare motorway section between Mateševo and Andrijevica, as stated in the Government document.
