Deputy Prime Minister Aleksandar Nikolloski said in Brussels that developing road and railway infrastructure is a strategic objective for North Macedonia, particularly because of its position as a landlocked Balkan country. Speaking at the global “Connecting Europe Days” event, he said the country is investing in the modernization of Corridors 8 and 10, including the construction of motorways, railways, high-speed lines and ITS systems.
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During a panel dedicated to the Western Balkans and the Eastern Mediterranean, Nikolloski highlighted the political and economic importance these corridors hold for North Macedonia. He added that, in cooperation with neighboring countries, work is also under way to expand border crossing points.
According to him, motorway and railway projects are being developed simultaneously along the eastern section of Corridor 8. The first motorway section has been completed, while work on the second section is expected to begin next year, in cooperation with the European Union and the European Investment Bank, which he described as the project’s main financial institution.
As for the railway, Nikolloski said the project has been divided into three sections. The first has been completed, the second is currently under construction and is expected to be completed by the end of 2028. Meanwhile, last week, together with the EIB, the procurement procedure was launched to select a contractor for the third section.
This railway section will be 23.1 kilometers long, but 75% of it will consist of infrastructure structures, including more than 20 tunnels and 56 bridges. Nikolloski described it as the most difficult part of the corridor, as the route passes behind a border city and connects to the cross-border tunnel that will be built in cooperation with Bulgaria.
The deputy prime minister recalled that last November, North Macedonia and Bulgaria signed a joint intergovernmental agreement for the construction of this tunnel, which is intended to enable the full opening of Corridor 8. If the process proceeds as planned, within five years of the contractor’s selection, meaning by 2031-2032, a complete railway connection is expected to be established between Skopje, Sofia, Burgas, Varna and Odesa.
Nikolloski also praised Albania’s commitment, saying that it is investing significantly in the construction of motorways and railways. He stressed that, through regional cooperation, a complete road and railway connection with Albania could be achieved by 2031-2032.
“This would enable us to travel very soon by car or train from the port of Durrës to Burgas and Varna, via Skopje,” Nikolloski said.
