Construction activities on the railway segment connecting Kriva Palanka to the tunnel linking Bulgaria and North Macedonia, which is part of the Pan-European Transport Corridor VIII, are anticipated to commence in the summer. North Macedonia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport, Aleksandar Nikoloski, informed journalists on Thursday that the public procurement process to select a supervisor for the third phase within North Macedonia has begun. Furthermore, a tender for selecting a contractor is expected to be announced within the next ten days.
A working meeting was held that day with representatives from the European Commission and the EU Delegation in Skopje, focusing on the ongoing work and plans for the transport and railway Corridor VIII project. This corridor connects the Bulgarian ports of Burgas and Varna on the Black Sea, traversing North Macedonia and Albania. Nikoloski expressed hope that numerous European and global companies would apply to supervise the third and most complex section of the railway line.
Regarding the joint construction of the tunnel between the two nations, he stated that progress is proceeding well. He noted that while the second section, from Beljakovce to Kriva Palanka, is progressing more slowly, issues there are currently being addressed. Nikoloski confirmed that all 16 tunnels have been excavated and anticipates completion around 2028, maintaining the overall railway line completion deadline of 2031/2032.
The total estimated cost for constructing the railway and road sections of Corridor VIII is approximately EUR 5 billion. The meeting also covered the segment of Rail Corridor VIII heading toward Albania, including the reconstruction of the existing railway line from Skopje through Tetovo, Gostivar, and Kicevo, as well as the second section from Kicevo through Ohrid and Struga to the Albanian border.
Topics: #north #macedonia #kriva
This is significant news for improving regional connectivity and trade flow.