More than a year following the bankruptcy of Serenissima and the construction halt of the Fier Bypass, the government has announced that work will begin anew in September.
Though the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), who is funding the project, announced in August 2017 that the tender for the Fier Bypass would be reopened, Minister of Infrastructure Damian Gjiknuri declared that the tender was opened on August 6, 2018, and that the winning contract should be ready by the start of September.
So far, the companies or consortiums that have participated in the tender remain unknown.
The Albanian government will use the remaining sum of its €48.8 million from the EBRD and the European Investment Bank to finish 22 km left of the Fier Bypass. The remaining part of the Vlora Bypass construction will be financed by the EU Delegation in Tirana and the European Investment Bank.
The Fier Bypass is part of an important corridor alleviating traffic on the route from Lushnja to Vlora, especially during tourist season where the number of vehicles that pass through it is at its peak. During these summer months, heavy traffic in this route has proved concerning for tourists.
