(ANSA) - BELGRADE, 24 APR - Macedonian authorities have inaugurated yesterday the 28km-long Demir Kapija-Smokvica highway section, on the motorway 'Friendship' (A1-E75), local media reported. The highway, the most important in the country, runs from the Tabanovce border crossing with Serbia, in the North, to the main border crossing with Greece, near Gevgelija, in the South. The opening of the Demir Kapija-Smokvica marks the completion of the Corridor X passing in Macedonia, local media noted.

More than 700,000 vehicles are expected to annually pass through the motorway, the portal Nezavisen reported. The new section will reduce the travel times on the highway by 25 minutes. The news agency Mia said that the highway costs stand at 218 million euro plus 10 million for supervision, with 70 million provided by the European Union, while the rest of the funds were secured from EBRD and EIB loans and national budget. (ANSA).