Another ground-breaking ceremony was held today to mark the start of work on the highways that the US company Bechtel is supposed to build on the east-west corridors across Macedonia.

US Ambassador Angela Aggeler and First Deputy Prime Minister Artan Grubi led the ceremony on what is supposed to be a highway linking Kicevo and Gostivar, by-passing the Straza mountain pass.

Ejup Rustemi, head of the state roads utility company, said that Bechtel has already received over 176 million EUR. Subcontractors were selected by the company itself, Rustemi said, responding to press reports that the Eurovia company, close to the ruling DUI party, was given a significant slice of the pie.