A long-awaited section of the R2 expressway between Krivan and Mytna opened to drivers on November 20, promising quicker journeys across southern central Slovakia and offering a symbolic victory for a government eager to show progress on infrastructure.
The 9.1-kilometre segment, which includes Slovakia’s longest and highest bridge – a 4.37-kilometre viaduct towering up to 41 metres above the Krivan valley – completes nearly all of the R2 corridor between Krivan and Tomasovce. Drivers travelling from Bratislava towards Lucenec are expected to save roughly eight minutes.
Prime Minister Robert Fico joined Transport Minister Jozef Raz at the opening ceremony, which also featured a performance by the folk ensemble Lucnica. Facing political pressure after recent rail accidents, Raz received the prime minister’s public backing, with Fico calling the project an “artistic masterpiece” and a message to “all those who claim nothing is happening in Slovakia”. (The Slovak Spectator)