SERBIA

WHILE VUČIĆ PROMISES ROADS IN VILLAGES: Promised Morava Corridor is massively delayed, its cost has increased by 1.55 billion euros!

by Serbian Times17. August 2026.17. August 2026.

The plan to build the Morava Corridor has undergone another drastic turnaround. The originally projected cost of 950 million euros has meanwhile “exploded” to as much as 2.5 billion euros. This has increased the cost of the highway by 1.55 billion euros, while the price per kilometer has soared to 23 million euros. In addition to the cost increase, construction of the highway is three years behind schedule and remains overshadowed by rural roads.

Although Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić initially announced that this key road would be completed by 2023, three years later the highway is still not finished. While the major infrastructure project is delayed, the state leadership and former minister responsible for the sector, Goran Vesić, are shifting public attention toward secondary sections, local roads and the renovation of roads in villages and hamlets, such as those in the municipality of Sombor.

Those familiar with the situation see this as a clear political maneuver: upcoming elections require visible results on the ground. While completion of the major highway is being dragged out for years, paving local streets and rural roads brings quick political points among local voters. The question, however, is whether this is genuine concern for municipalities or simply a tried-and-tested recipe for winning votes ahead of the elections?

In the shadow of election tactics, one key question remains: What is actually happening with the corridor connecting central and western Serbia?

The section from Pojate to Preljina, 120 kilometers long, represents one of the most important transport arteries in the country. Despite this, construction is still ongoing, while missed deadlines and the drastic increase in costs remain without an adequate explanation from the authorities.