Ioannina – Kakavia (border with Albania) motorway qualified for Recovery Fund financed projects

It seems that there are developments for the construction of the extension of the Ionian Road to Kakavia, i.e. the borders with Albania.

In a statement issued by the Chamber of Ioannina, it is pointed out that in a meeting that their leaders had with the Secretary-General of Public Investments and NSRF, Mr. Dimitris Skalkos, the main claim of Epirus region was discussed, i.e. the resolution of its financing and final extension of the Ionian Road from Ioannina to the border station of Kakavia.

According to the announcement, the Secretary General assured the executives of the Chamber that the issue has progressed significantly and will be one of the projects that will eventually be included and implemented by the Recovery Fund.

This is the first time that a government official speaks openly positively about the issue of the large project that concerns the region since 2017, when the Ionian Road from Antirrio to Ioannina was completed.

At the same time, according to safe information by ypodomes.com, the Ioannina-Kakavia project has been included in the list of proposals for implementation by the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport since it is unlikely to see it proceed through the NSRF and in general as a regular public project.

This list is expected to be “locked” in the coming days and will be sent to the newly established special coordination service of the Recovery Fund, which was taken over by Nikos Mantzoufas. Depending on the processing that will take place and the conditions that will be set, but also on the maturity, it will be judged whether the project for the completion of the Ionian Road will be deemed as “finance-able” or not.

Letter to Karamanlis

As another measure of pressure, the Ioannina hoteliers’ association sent a letter on the Ioannina-Kakavia issue to the Minister of Infrastructure and Transport, Costas Karamanlis. As it is mentioned, “the completion of the Trans-European road axis of the Western Balkans or the Para-Adriatic axis is a vision and a constant request not only of the people of Epirus for many years”.

The association believes that the completion of this road axis will be an important project as it will connect our country with the Western Balkans. Moreover, it mentions a number of advantages that the implementation of the project will bring to the region (reduction of time distances with the Western Balkans and Central Europe, development, etc.).

In fact, the association expresses its solidarity with the political parties, the Regions, the MPs, the municipalities, and all the involved parties that wish the construction of this trans-European road axis.

Concluding the letter, the association expresses its support for the efforts of the ministry, emphasizing that “Mr. Minister, we will assist in every effort of the State in this direction, while expressing our desire to publicly declare your strong political support for this project, based on the mature studies that have been prepared and completed from 2013 as a four-lane road to Kalpaki with a total distance of only 28km “.