At a meeting in Brussels between officials from the transport ministries of Bulgaria and North Macedonia, the two countries confirmed their commitment to finalizing the missing railway sections of Corridor 8, the Ministry of Transport has announced.

The Bulgarian side presented a roadmap for completing railway Corridor 8 on Bulgarian territory. The key stages were set down, including the re-start, by the Republic of North Macedonia, of the construction works tender in the section between Kriva Palanka and the entrance of the cross-border tunnel by the end of 2025. As regards the missing 2.4-km. section on the Bulgarian side of the border – from Gyueshevo to the entrance of the cross-border tunnel, as well as the Pernik-Radomir line, the documents for the start of construction work procedures have been submitted for approval by the Public Procurement Agency.

As regards the joint project for the construction of the cross-border corridor between Gyueshevo and Deve Bair, the two parties agreed to set up working groups that by the end of July will finalize the text of the intergovernmental agreement proposed by Bulgaria on 15 January 2025. The agreement is expected to be signed in the autumn.

Editing by Miglena Ivanova
Translated and posted by Milena Daynova
Photo: Ministry of Transport and Communication