BAKU, Azerbaijan, November 7. Bulgaria and
North Macedonia have signed an agreement on the preparation,
construction, and operation of a cross-border railway tunnel along
Corridor VIII, Trend reports.
The deal was signed by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of
Transport and Communications Grozdan Karadjov on behalf of
Bulgaria, and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport
Aleksandar Nikoloski on behalf of North Macedonia.
Valentina Superti, Director for Western Balkans at DG ENEST,
attended the signing ceremony held at Gyueshevo Railway Station,
located on the border between the two countries.
The European Commission, which provides significant financial
support to the project, welcomes this milestone, which carries
major strategic importance for both countries, the wider Western
Balkans region, and the EU. The EU remains fully committed to
supporting this important project and looks forward to its
effective implementation in close cooperation with all
partners.
The tunnel will form an integral part of the Trans-European
Transport Network (TEN-T) and is part of a flagship initiative
under the EU’s Global Gateway. Once completed, it will bring
substantial social and economic benefits to the region. Joint work
on cross-border initiatives like this reinforces good neighbourly
relations between Bulgaria and North Macedonia – a key element in
the latter’s EU accession process.
