Over 46,4 million euros is the annual revenue from toll collection Public Enterprise for State Roads last year, which is by 2,8 million euros more than in 2019, and by 12,1 million euros more than in 2020. Over 25 percent of the total funds last year were realized through the electronic toll on Corridor 10. This year PESR expects revenue of over 50 million euros, commissioning of the toll stations Preod and Kadrifakovo on the highway Skopje-Stip, as well as electronic toll collection system of the existing Corridor tolls 8.

Director of the Public Enterprise for State Roads (PESR) Ejup Rustemi In an interview with MIA, he said that the toll service at PESR in 2021, although it was a year of pandemic and limited opportunities for uninterrupted traffic between the countries, achieved record income and historic success in its 35-year existence. Despite the closed border crossings until the second half of May, says Rustemi, the toll service managed to organize and control the work excellently and to achieve a turnover in 2021 which is 36 percent more compared to 2020, and compared to before the record 2019 increase is by six percent.

-According to the current annual turnover from collection, the increase is over 170.000.000 denars (2,8 million euros) more than in 2019, while compared to 2020 the increase is 747.583.000 denars (or 12.155 million euros) more realized turnover from toll collection. In 2019, the total revenue was 2.681.866.666 (or 43,6 million euros), while in 2020 the revenue was 2.092.9818.055 denars (or 34.029.562 euros). This calendar year the income is 2.853.668.980 denars (or over 46,4 million euros). These amounts of income refer only to the realized turnover from toll collection, sale and recharging of electronic devices, and over 25 percent of the total charged vehicles is realized through the electronic collection of Corridor 10, states Rustemi in the interview.

To a large extent, to achieve these results, as he says, contributed the Modern Monitoring Center, which is made according to European standards for monitoring and organizing the work.

-Given the achieved results in the electronic payment, our focus this year will be the continuation of the process of modernization of the tolls. This 2022, in terms of the toll service, we have set high goals, which will become a reality with the opening of the two new toll stations Preod and Kadrifakovo, and the annual revenue is expected to be over 50 million euros, and this year we will introduce the electronic toll collection system. and Corridor 8, announced the director of PESR.

Preparation of project documentation for reconstruction and implementation of electronic system for payment of the existing toll stations on Corridor 8 is underway. After full approval of the project documentation by the competent authorities and institutions, Rustemi announces that the field implementation will begin. The modernization of the toll stations on Corridor 8 is expected to start after the first quarter of the year.

Taking into account the weather conditions and the season when the construction works most often pause, he points out, the completion of the construction and implementation of the electronic toll collection system at the Preod and Kadrifakovo toll stations is expected to be completed by the end of April this year.

"Increasing revenues also means increasing investments, increasing construction, rehabilitation, reconstruction, construction of new roads, completion of started roads, improvement and better maintenance of road infrastructure in the country with the ultimate goal of safe and secure roads for citizens," said Rustemi.

Source: MIA