The motorway will connect Belgrade with Podgorica and the harbour city of Bar, Montenegro's main seaport.

[2] The project cost was significantly higher than expected, partially due to payment being made in US dollars and thus subject to currency fluctuations.

Other commonly cited reasons for the higher cost include the addition of a turnpike, delays in construction, local corruption, and Chinese lending practices under the Belt and Road Initiative.

The official copening ceremony took place on October 15, 2009, in the village of Gornje Mrke north of Podgorica, attended by the then Prime Ministers of Montenegro (Milo Đukanović), Serbia (Mirko Cvetković) and Croatia (Jadranka Kosor).

After negotiations, it was agreed that Aktor/HCH consortium would build the two southern sections of the motorway for a price of 1.575 billion euro.

[6] The third and the northernmost section, from Mateševo to Boljare (border with Serbia), as well as the small strip across Lake Skadar, were to be the subject of further negotiations.

The Government of Montenegro began to explore financing options for motorway construction, including negotiations with Chinese investors.

In April 2013 discussions were still under way between the Montenegrin government and Chinese parties[7] and an offer of US$1bn of financing by EXIM bank and the selection of a preferred construction consortium was announced in July 2013.