Construction activities for the railway segment connecting Kriva Palanka to the tunnel linking Bulgaria and North Macedonia, which is part of 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 stage within North Macedonia has been initiated. 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 progress 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 will apply for the supervision of the third, most complex section of the railway line.
Concerning the joint construction of the tunnel between the two nations, he stated that progress is advancing positively. He noted that while the second section (from Beljakovce to Kriva Palanka) is progressing more slowly, challenges are currently being addressed. Nikoloski confirmed that all 16 tunnels have been excavated, with completion anticipated around 2028.
The overall deadline for completing the railway line remains 2031/2032. The combined construction of the rail and road components of Corridor VIII is estimated to cost approximately EUR 5 billion. Discussions during the meeting also covered the section extending towards Albania, including routes through Tetovo, Gostivar, and Kicevo, requiring reconstruction of existing rail lines, as well as the second segment from Kicevo through Ohrid and Struga to the Albanian border.
Topics: #north #macedonia #kriva
