The 11 km long western part of the Skopje ring road whose construction was co-funded by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the European Investment Bank (EIB) was put use today, EBRD said.

In 2003 EBRD approved a loan of 40 million euros which was used for finishing the second stage of the Skopje ring road, which is expected to ease traffic, save travel time and reduce pollution in Macedonia's capital.

The Skopje ring road is part of Corridor VIII connecting the Adriatic Sea and the Black Sea. The Corridor is one of the two key Pan-European transport corridors being part of the trans-European network, which run through Macedonia and intersect near Skopje.

The western part of the ring road begins at Suro Orizari, in the northern part of Skopje, and ends at Kondovo, in the capital's western part, where it connects to the Skopje-Tetovo highway.

Claudio Viezzoli, EBRD Director for the Western Balkans, said at the ribbon-cutting ceremony in Skopje that the project shows EBRD's commitment to helping the upgrade of important segments of the road infrastructure in Macedonia and the Western Balkans. Projects of this type are of crucial importance for regional integration, especially bearing in mind how important trade and tourism are for bolstering the local economic growth, Mr. Viezzoli said.