Section of pan-European corridor opened in Slavonia

The 24.5-kilometre-long motorway section between Osijek and Beli Manastir - an integral part of the A5 motorway within the pan-European Vc corridor - was officially opened to traffic on Friday morning.

The project cost 500 million kuna (66 million euros). This pan-European corridor is a part of the International E-road network, connecting parts of Hungary, Croatia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, to the Adriatic Sea coast near the Croatian seaport of Ploče.

The work on the remaining five kilometers towards the border with Hungary will be finished in 2024. At the opening ceremony, Transport and Infrastructure Minister Oleg Butković said that along with the grand opening of the Pelješac Bridge earlier this year, the completion of this section of the Vc corridor was yet another major step in Croatia's transportation and economic growth.

"This means a lot to the citizens of Beli Manastir and all of Baranja. But this means the most to businesses and our economic growth. I think this will give us the opportunity to grow like the other regions of this country," said the mayor of Beli Manastir Tomislav Rob.

Prime Minister Andrej Plenković said it would help to open up Slavonia to the rest of Europe.

"This European corridor, which connects Budapest to Ploče, passes through Croatia at Slavonia. This gives the region a complete European and international dimension. This will fully integrate Baranja and provide further traffic and infrastructure connections with the rest of Croatia. This will allow local residents to enjoy a vibrant economic atmosphere that will bring the region even more development," said the prime minister.

The minister added that the newly-opened Osijek-Beli Manastir section will be toll-free until the end of the month.

Croatia's portion of the Vc corridor is 88.6 kilometers long.