Landowners protest low expropriation offers for Skopje–Blace motorway
Owners in Gluvo-Brazda and Blace say plots worth €100–200/m² were offered just €20 and have filed complaints.
Landowners along the planned Skopje–Blace motorway say the state has offered them €20 per square metre for expropriation, while they value their land at between €100 and €200 per square metre. The affected plots lie in the cadastral municipalities of Gluvo-Brazda and Blace, and owners staged a peaceful protest after rejecting the offer.
They said they are not seeking special treatment but a fair valuation and proper compensation for property that will be cut by the new road. According to the protesting landowners, they repeatedly tried to contact the Public Enterprise for State Roads and filed a formal complaint, but have so far received no reply. At the protest they submitted extensive documentation to support their claims.
Dispute comes as construction starts
Construction work on the Skopje–Blace motorway, which is intended to link the capital with the border crossing to Kosovo, officially began in August this year. The investment is estimated at around €198.4 million, and the government has announced that part of the funds are coming from European funds.
At the laying of the foundation stone, Prime Ministers Hristijan Mickoski and Albin Kurti attended together with ministers from both governments. At the time authorities stated the construction period would be roughly four years.
Landowners say they expect the Public Enterprise for State Roads to reopen negotiations or to provide an explanation for the low offers. They insist on a reassessment and faster communication from the authorities to avoid further escalation.
Photo: press material from the event
