Construction on the Izvor–Gari section of the Kičevo‑Debar regional road, which stretches about 19 kilometres, began several years ago. While the route has been cleared and a large part asphalted, the project is far from complete.
The works have been repeatedly halted by major soil landslides that have destabilised the terrain along the road. Engineer Rade Trajkovski, representing the contractor Ilinden, said the landslides have made certain sections unsafe despite some local traffic already using the opened track.
To resume and finish the project, the company has requested additional funding from the Public Enterprise for State Roads (JPDP) specifically to build protective retaining walls. As of the latest reports, JPDP has not yet approved the extra budget and has not provided a firm timeline for when a decision might be made.
Local residents have started using the unfinished road, but journalists like Salije Sadiku‑Pinjolli warn that the route remains hazardous because of the persistent earth movements.
With the funding still pending, the original target of finishing by the end of 2025 has slipped. Trajkovski estimates that, once the resources are secured, an additional year of work will be needed to complete the necessary stabilisation and paving.
