Vučić at the opening of highway section: "Perfectly done, like in Switzerland" VIDEO

Vučić at the opening of highway section: "Perfectly done, like in Switzerland" VIDEO

"Everyone in Serbia wants to see a finished highway, and when you tell them give us a stone, no one gives a stone," said Vučić while driving along the newly opened section.

"This road will cost 1.2-1.4 billion euros, depending on which section we will do the full profile," said the Serbian president.

"It is of great importance for Prokuplje, Blace and Kuršumlija. When we build a full-profile highway, it will be an invitation for investors, although it is already an invitation, but more investors are needed," he pointed out.

"This road is perfectly done, as if you had come to Austria or Switzerland," remarked the President of Serbia.

"Serbia today in Europe, in proportion to its size, builds the largest number of highways," he pointed out. "This policy will continue in Serbia. We are building the largest number of kilometers of roads and expressways, and that is not easy today. So far, we have managed to maintain financial stability and to build," he added.

"Today, one kilometer of highway does not cost you more than 5 million euros, but from 8 to 10 million, and sometimes up to 25 million, just to keep that in mind when opening a section of 5.5 kilometers. This year, we will cover hundreds of kilometers to open, billions of euros are at stake. The EU is helping us, but it is mostly based on the financial stability of our country," emphasized Vučić and said that it will be possible to pass through the new section today after 1 p.m.

"People always ask for more, when you want to work and you want your places to be good and better and faster, it is completely normal that you are not satisfied and that you strive for better and for it to get better. Today, the first vehicles will pass through this section, after 13 hours", he said.

"This will be one of the busiest highways in 20-25 years"

When asked when the entire highway will be finished, Vučić said when enough money is collected for everything. "If they end the war, there will be no stoppage, and if they don't, I don't know what to say. Everyone lives in a problem, only here people don't care, they just want to go to the sea, and if there are any other circumstances, they are not interested," said Vučić.

"We will work on the full profile of the highway to Kuršumlija for sure, and we will see what we can do further from Kuršumlija," said the President of Serbia during a tour of the stands presenting the tourist potential of the Toplička and Nišava districts. Then followed the official address.

"It is important to strengthen this part of our country, to strengthen Toplica, and that is why we will build a full profile of the highway to this place, to Kuršumllija for sure, we will see in the future," said Vučić. He thanked the EU for the 40 million grant that Serbia received for that.

"That's a lot of money for our country, it's about 3-4 kilometers of such a full-profile highway," he said. "This will be one of the busiest highways in 20-25 years," said Vučić. "I am proud that this highway will connect us with Albanians. That is why we need it more than ever, and that is why relations will be different. This highway means connecting with people of other nationalities, with those with whom we have not always had good relations. Our trade with Albania has increased by 35 percent. We are not afraid of cooperation, we should be promoters of cooperation, that must be our policy. We must lead a wise policy, not a policy of separation," he explained.

"In Niš, we will soon lay the foundation stone for a new factory that will employ 375 people, other important investments are also expected in the area, we have to build and work to increase growth and to continue that pace and to reduce the difference with the EU," Vucic said.

"The public debt is under control, about 54 percent. Our problem is the deficit, we have to look for growth in large infrastructure projects," he pointed out.

The Niš-Merošina section is part of the Niš - Merdare highway, about 77 kilometers long, which was supposed to connect Serbia with ports on the Adriatic Sea.