< strong>Bulgaria and North Macedonia have reaffirmed their commitment to continue the construction of the railway Corridor 8, announced the General Directorate of the European Commission for Neighborhood Affairs and Enlargement Negotiations, BTA reported.
A meeting was held in Brussels between the acting deputy minister of transport and communications Biser Minchev from the Bulgarian side, the state secretary in the Ministry of Transport of North Macedonia Stefan Volkanovski, the director of the railway infrastructure in North Macedonia Sinisha Ivanovski, the EC, the European Investment Bank , the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and the Secretariat of the Transport Community.
The two sides agreed to hold regular high-level dialogue and establish a joint working group on Corridor 8, and the relevant ministries to work to find a coordinated technical solution for the construction of the cross-border section of the corridor, the release stated.< /p>
It is noted that the corridor is an important rail link for the entire region and the EU. It will lead to faster travel for goods and passengers, improving market access and competitiveness in the Western Balkans. The Commission welcomes the reaffirmation of the two countries' commitment as readiness for regional cooperation - essential for the future of both countries.
The eastern section of Corridor 8 connects North Macedonia and Bulgaria, and is part of the European corridor Western Balkans - Eastern Mediterranean. With the financial aid of the EU for the Western Balkans, North Macedonia and Albania are improving the existing lines and building the missing connections along the corridor, the commission explains.