Radulović: Mateševo-Andrijevica motorway section to be completed within five years, tender for Smokovac-Tološi bypass expected by end of summer

The deadline for completing the design and construction of the Mateševo-Andrijevica motorway section is five years, and once the project is finished, the journey from Podgorica to Andrijevica will take around 38 minutes, Minister of Maritime Affairs and Coordinator of the Ministry of Transport Filip Radulović said on Montenegro's public broadcaster morning programme. He also announced that a tender for the construction of the Smokovac-Tološi bypass is expected to be launched by the end of the summer, noting that the project will significantly ease traffic congestion in Podgorica.

Radulović said that infrastructure development has been one of the Government's key priorities since the beginning of its mandate.

- This Government is committed to infrastructure development. When we took office two and a half years ago, we said that infrastructure would be one of the pillars of our policy. As we saw a few days ago, preparatory works on this motorway section have already begun. Some critics argue that the process has been too slow and could have moved faster. However, I would like to remind the public that there are three necessary steps before construction can begin: a conceptual solution, a preliminary design, and finally the main design - he said.

He stressed that when the current Government assumed office, none of the required project documentation was in place.

- When we took office, none of that documentation existed. Now, after two and a half years, conceptual designs have been completed for every motorway section in the country. Around 70 per cent of the preliminary designs have also been completed. I expect that by the end of this year every preliminary design for every section will be finalized. That is the foundation that will allow us to accelerate construction - Radulović said.

He noted that extending the motorway toward Boljare has been an absolute priority and said the project would be of major importance not only for Andrijevica but for the entire north of Montenegro.

- I believe this project will completely transform the northern part of the country, as well as Montenegro as a whole - he said.

Radulović recalled that the project is worth €694 million and will be financed in part through a €200 million loan from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).

- We have also secured a €150 million grant from the European Commission, which is yet another confirmation that Montenegro is on track to become the next member of the European Union. The remaining funds will come from the state budget - he said.

He emphasized that the completion deadline has been clearly set at five years.

Reflecting on the construction of the first motorway section, Radulović said the biggest problems had been delays and insufficient coordination with the contractor.

- I remember that deadlines were repeatedly missed. The minister responsible for the sector must be actively involved and maintain daily communication with the contractor. It is unacceptable for strategic infrastructure projects of this scale to experience such significant delays. Everything could have been completed much faster and on schedule if the Government and the responsible ministers had worked closely with the contractors on a daily basis. If that happens, there is no reason for projects to be delayed - he said.

He added that this was the approach he had taken while serving as Minister of Transport.

- I believe I demonstrated that while I was heading the Ministry of Transport and Maritime Affairs at the beginning of this Government's mandate, and I even managed to speed up work on the Tivat-Jaz road section. If you are willing to work, maintain constant communication with contractors and keep close oversight of the project, everything can be completed on time - Radulović said.

He also stressed that construction activities would not jeopardize the tourism season.

- We will not allow any infrastructure project in Montenegro to have a negative impact on the tourism season. I can guarantee that. We are paying close attention to adapting construction schedules to the needs of tourists, so there will be no adverse effects. Major construction works will begin in 2027, while this year will be dedicated to preparatory works and the completion of the main design - he said.

Speaking about the Podgorica bypass, specifically the Smokovac-Tološi section, Radulović announced that the tender for selecting a contractor could be launched by the end of the summer.

- This is another extremely important section. We have begun work on Mateševo-Andrijevica, and we are now turning our attention to the southern part of the network and the Podgorica bypass. The project is approximately 10.5 kilometres long. The tender will be conducted under EBRD procurement rules, in a fully transparent and public process, and I believe it will be published by the end of the summer - Radulović said.

He concluded that the project would have a major impact on traffic flow in the capital.

- This section will have an effect similar to the Budva bypass. Transit traffic travelling through Podgorica toward the north or south will be redirected onto the motorway, and only once the project is completed will we see the full benefits in terms of reducing congestion in the city centre - Radulović said.