MOTORWAY SECTION KATLANOVO-VELES RECONSTRUCTED

The State Roads Agency will put into use Friday reconstructed section Katlanovo-Veles within motorway Alexander the Great.

The 16-month overhaul of the 27,5km-long section included investments of approximately EUR 7 million.

Construction company "Granit" completed the works.

The reconstructed 27km-long section Katlanovo-Veles, part of motorway Alexander the Great, was put into use on Friday.

The EUR 7,3 million investment is part of the Government project for infrastructure modernization in the country.

Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski said section Katlanovo-Veles is one of the most frequent roads in Macedonia, reconstructed for the last time in 1985.

He announced that motorway section Veles-Skopje would be reconstructed in 2013, whereas the project on construction of highway Demir Kapija-Smokvica is ongoing.

"We will continue to build and allocate significant Budget funds for such capital projects", stressed PM Gruevski.

Minister of Transport and Communications Mile Janakieski stressed a project for overhaul of 13 bridges along Corridor 10 should be launched in 2013.

"European funds have been secured for rehabilitation of road Corridor 10 sections. Priority has been given to section Veles-Katlanovo, with reconstruction set to begin in the first half of 2013", added Janakieski.

Construction company "Granit" worked on section Katlanovo-Veles in the past 16 months.

FOG HINDERS AIRLINE TRAFFIC

Poor weather conditions hinder airline traffic, also slowing down railway and bus transport.

Several flights departing from Skopje-based airport "Alexander the Great" have been cancelled due to fog.

Traffic at motorways and regional roads is slow due to rainfalls and snowfalls in the morning.

Heavy vehicles are banned at Gostivar-Kicevo road section through Straza mountain slope due to show.

Bus and railway traffic is ongoing with delays.

Bitola coldest city with -19

Bitola, Tetovo and Berovo Thursday morning are the coldest cities in Macedonia. The temperature measured at 7a.m. in Bitola has been -19C and -17C in Tetovo and Berovo.

In Skopje the measured temperatures early Thursday have been -16C, -12C in Kriva Palanka, Stip, Prilep, Kumanovo and Mavrovo, -11C in Strumica and Krusevo, -10C in Demir Kapija and Debar, -9C in Ohrid, Vinica and Kavadarci, -6C in Pretor, -3C in Dojran and -2C in Gevgelija.

Hydrometeorological Service reports that arctic temperatures will remain all day long.

Skopje gets Xmas decorations

HEAVY VEHICLES BANNED AT SEVERAL ROAD SECTIONS

Ban for heavy vehicles has been introduced early Wednesday at road sections Mavrovo-Debar, Gostivar-Kicevo, Debar-Struga, and mountain saddles Straza and Gjavato due to snow.

Flow of traffic on other motorways and regional roads is normal without any prohibition or restriction for all types of motor vehicles on wet lanes. There are snowfalls at mountain saddles Straza, Mavrovo, Preseka, Bukovo and Gjavato.

There are no delays in railway and airline traffic.

Top officials congratulate St.Kliment Ohridski holiday

Saint Clement of Ohrid.

"The holiday dedicated to St.Kliment Ohridski, founder of the Ohrid Archbishopric, founder of the first Slavic university, and generator of Slavic literacy and culture, is an event exceeding national boundaries, having enormous significance for European culture and civilization. The vision of St.Kliment and his teachers, the holy Ss.Kiril and Metodij (Ss.Cyril and Methodius) over bringing nations together and building a prosperous, free and humane world is placed in the foundations of human civilization", reads the note.

According to him, the work of St.Kliment should be a guiding principle ahead of new challenges, giving us spiritual strength and wisdom to come out stronger and more noble.

Parliament Speaker Trajko Veljanoski also sent greetings, saying the holiday marked St.Kliment's work.

"St.Kliment created and Ohrid Archbishopric and the Cyrillic letter, which represent an invaluable gift to the Macedonian national and church history, but his work also continued in other parts of the world, where he has left deep traces", says Veljanoski.

He urged for the holiday to represent an incentive for mutual understanding, mutual respect and assistance.

Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski congratulated the holiday, saying St. Kliment Ohridski is one of the greatest scholars in the history of Macedonia's church and nation.

"His work as scholar, writer, enlightener and bishop set the foundations of our spiritual education and culture, and of our holy Macedonian Orthodox Church - the Ohrid Archbishopric," Gruevski says in his note.

Our obligation, he adds, is to continue on the road he had set and by hard, dedicated work to meet the needs of citizens by advancing the education and culture, guided by and applying the system of values.

Skopje from the Bird's eye view