Slovak PM celebrates long-delayed tunnel opening – on rollerblades

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico roller-skated through the newly completed Visnove tunnel on Monday, celebrating the end of a nearly 30-year infrastructure saga. "I didn't want to miss this opportunity to go through the whole tunnel on roller skates," Fico said before the official opening.

The 7.5-kilometer tunnel – now Slovakia's longest – completes a crucial link on the D1 highway between Bratislava and Kosice. It's expected to divert over 80 percent of traffic from a congested, accident-prone route. However, the project has faced fierce criticism for cost overruns and delays. Plans began in 1990, construction started in 2014 with a 2019 deadline, was halted after contract termination, and finally resumed in 2021.