The indicative extension of the TEN-T Core Network to the Western Balkans included the road Nis – Merdare – Pristina on Route 7, also referred to as the Peace Highway. In Kosovo*, the road runs north-south between Merdare at the administrative crossing with Serbia and Pristina. Strategically linked to Corridors IV and X, this road connection is essential for cargo and passenger transport in the Western Balkans. It is the region’s shortest route from the Port of Durrës on the Adriatic to South-Eastern and Central Europe, as well as to the Black Sea.
Technical assistance, provided through WBIF, was implemented in two components. The first component included the preparation of the pre-feasibility study and conceptual design, and the second component encompassed the feasibility study, preliminary design and environmental and social impact assessment (ESIA) for the construction of the Pristina-Merdare highway section.
* This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSCR 1244 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo Declaration of Independence
