Albania, Montenegro Flag Up Adriatic Highway

Albanian officials say the highway that will connect the Adriatic with the Ionian sea is one of the most important regional infrastructural projects that it is putting into effect.

Albania and Montenegro, the two countries engaged in this project, have already received a grant of 4 million euros from European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, EBRD, for a highway feasibility study.

The director of Projects and Public-Private Partnerships at Albania's Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure, Krislen Keri, told BIRN that the project will result in a high-quality corridor that will boost the connectivity of the two countries as well as improve links to Italy, Slovenia, Croatia and Greece.

Further development of the railway connection to Montenegro is also a high priority for Albania.

"We are working with Montenegrin counterparts to finalize all agreements for borders and customs to facilitate ongoing projects in line with the commitment that the two countries made at the [Western Balkan] Vienna Summit," Keri said.

At the summit last August, the European Union backed a list of infrastructural projects that will better connect the Balkan region.

Railway connectivity with its eastern neighbour Macedonia is another priority for Albania.

"We need to develop our railway connectivity with the region. In this regard, we have approved the feasibility study to rehabilitate the Durres- Pogradec-Lin railway line and extend it to the border with Macedonia," Keri said.

Regarding transport by sea, Albania is establishing vessel traffic monitoring and information systems.

"This system will increase safety in transport and also save the maritime environment from pollution," Keri said.

In the last months, seawater...