Construction of Sofia-Skopje railway line remains a priority of bilateral relations between Bulgaria and Macedonia

Construction of Sofia-Skopje railway line is a priority of the relations between Bulgaria and Macedonia. The opinion was shared by the Minister of Transport, Information Technology and Communications Ivaylo Moskovski and the Minister of  Transport and Communications of Macedonia Goran Sugareski during their meeting today. The transport link between the Southwest Balkans and the Orient-East Med Corridor is essential to both countries as far as free movement of passengers and freight is concerned.

The implementation of the project depends on the provision of financing for the construction of the line on Macedonian territory, the modernization of the existing Sofia-Gyueshevo section and the construction of the missing section of 2.5 km from Gyueshevo Railway Station to the Macedonian border.

Minister Moskovski said he expects guarantees from the Macedonian side to build the section on its territory.

Ivaylo Moskovski underlined to his colleague that for the 2014-2020 programming period under OP on “Transport and Transport Infrastructure” were provided funds for the overall preparation work of the project on the modernization of Sofia-Pernik-Radomir-Gyueshevo railway line. Should financial resources are available, the construction of the railway section could start in 2020, added Minister Moskovski.

Both Ministers came up with the statement that will be hard for the budgets of the two countries to bear the entire financial burden and it is necessary to seek out foreign investment with joint efforts.

Goran Sugareski briefed Minister Ivaylo Moskovski on the progress of the project regarding the construction of the new railway line from Kriva Palanka to the Bulgarian border as part of Pan-European Corridor VIII, from Radomir to Belyakovtsi. From the Bulgarian side will participate experts who will monitor the activities and will assist the Macedonian side. The project will be implemented near the border with Bulgaria and within its scope comes the cross-border tunnel "Deve Bair".