Skopje begins demolition in Keramidnica to link boulevard with General Mihajlo Apostolski bridge
Mayor Orce Gjorgievski says completed expropriations cleared the way for demolition and that remaining expropriations will continue to finish the link.
Skopje city authorities have started demolishing part of the houses in the Keramidnica neighbourhood to make way for a new boulevard that will connect to the General Mihajlo Apostolski bridge in the Aerodrom municipality. The new roadway is planned to continue onto ASNOM Boulevard, creating a direct link between Aerodrom and Gazi Baba.
Work crews began removing buildings after the expropriation process for some properties was completed, enabling the city to continue the construction sequence required to open the route. Mayor Orce Gjorgievski said the city will continue expropriations on remaining parcels so the transport connection can be finished.
"After the deadline for vacating the families whose properties were covered by the completed expropriation expired, conditions were created for us to proceed with the next, key step toward its opening. At the same time, expropriation of the remaining part of the boulevard continues to fully complete this important transport link," said Mayor Orce Gjorgievski.
Background and political turn
The initiative to build the connection began during the tenure of former mayor Petre Shilegov, when the General Mihajlo Apostolski bridge was constructed. According to city officials, work slowed and the project stalled after Danela Arsovska took office.
City representatives report that Gjorgievski expects traffic to use what he called Danela’s "bridge for fishing" this year, which would finally link Aerodrom and Gazi Baba. When she was in office, Arsovska argued the bridge could not be put into operation because there were many unresolved property‑legal issues along the route through Keramidnica.
Photo: Orce Wiki / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
