"Pakovraće-Požega by the end of this year, the Munjino brdo tunnel by the summer of 2025"

Namely, the tunnel will be opened for traffic after completing it with special equipment, which should take five months.

"I expect the entire section, including these two tunnels, to be in traffic by June next year for the next summer season," said the minister.

When it comes to the continuation of the highway, to Montenegro, i.e. to Boljare, the construction will proceed in phases, Vesić told Novosti, adding that the works on the first part, from Požega to Duga Poljana, would be completed if the project documentation was ready and funding could start in the summer of 2025.

"The section from Pakovraće to Požega, 19.5 kilometers long, is very complex because there are two very long tunnels on it, Laz - 2,850 meters and Munjino brdo - 2,740 meters. The Laz tunnel has been broken through and is in the stage of being equipped, while work on the Munjino brdo tunnel cannot be completed until May 2025, although this tunnel will be broken by the end of this year. It is planned that the entire section of the highway, except for the Munjino brdo tunnel, i.e. about 16.7 kilometers, will be completed this year, said Mr. Vesić.

He noted that the Munjino brdo tunnel has a very complex geology, therefore the works are unpredictable and could take a long time.

"Because of all that, it is planned that all the works will be completed and the traffic opened by June 2025," said the minister.

He explains that the Požega - Boljare section is divided into two sections - from Požega to Duga Poljana and from Duga Poljana to Boljare. The total length of the section Požega - Boljare is about 107 kilometers.

"Planning and project documentation is underway, the completion depends on the speed of completion of the planning documentation. The entire process is carried out in phases. Currently, a plan is being prepared for the first 20 kilometers of the first section from Požega to Duga Poljana, the first and the last, the tenth subdivision," specified Vesić.

He expressed his expectation that the plan could be adopted in October this year, creating the conditions for project documentation for those 20 kilometers.

"Accordingly, the work on these two subsections will start first. The start of the work depends on the speed of completion of the project documentation and the provision of financial resources. If financial resources for the work are secured, the start of the work can be expected after the completion of the work on the previous section, from Pakovraće to Požega, which means from the summer of 2025," said Vesić.

It is a complex project with many bridges and tunnels, hence the high cost of construction.

"Given that the planning and project documentation has not been completed, it is not possible to give a clearer assessment of the value of this project. How much the price will be will depend on the choice of financing model, which will significantly affect the price. Currently, various concession financing models are under consideration, and depending on the model financing, the price can be in the range of 3.5 to 4 billion euros. The reason to believe that this is the price that Montenegro received for the construction of its 22 km part of the road to Andrijevica is a tough and expensive section, and the maintenance of this highway when it is built will be very demanding," stated Vesić.

The second direction of the highway, from Požega to Kotroman, is, according to the minister, about 60 kilometers long, and it is certainly the most complex since more than 70 percent of the section is in buildings, which means bridges and tunnels.

"The preparation of planning and technical documentation is underway. So far, only the working version of the conceptual project has been completed, which is the basis for the preparation of the spatial plan of the special purpose area of ​​the infrastructure corridor Belgrade - Sarajevo, the section of Požega - Užice - Kotroman, the preparation of which is in progress", said Vesić.

The paperwork is complicated since the road passes through the Mokra Gora nature park.

"The location conditions can only be obtained when the spatial plan is adopted. We expect it to be finished by the end of 2024. The conceptual design will be finished by the end of 2025," added Minister Vesić.