site.btaBulgarian Regional Development Ministry, Macedonian Local Self-Government Ministry Sign Memorandum of Understanding

August 20 (BTA) - Bulgarian Minister of Regional
Development and Public Works Petya Avramova and Macedonian
Minister of Local Self-Government Goran Milevski signed here a
memorandum of understanding between the two ministries,
Avramova's press centre said Tuesday. Petya Avramova noted that
the document is indicative of the excellent long-term and
beneficial cooperation between the two countries and their
ministries.

Bulgaria and North Macedonia agreed to hold meetings on issues
of mutual interest. The two countries will also organize
trainings, seminars, expert working groups, and a regular
exchange of information. For this purpose, a new joint working
group will be set up.

Before the ceremony, the two delegations met with Macedonian
Prime Minister Zoran Zaev. The participants underlined the two
countries' promise to realize the projects that will improve
connectivity in the region, with a focus on the Pan-European
Corridor 8, as well as the EU-funded transborder cooperation.

Zoran Zaev expressed his gratitude for the big support that
Bulgaria showed during North Macedonia's road to entering NATO
and the EU.

After the Friendship Treaty between the two countries was signed
 in 2017, the political dialogue was activated and there was a
new impulse for developing sectoral cooperation. "Europe
obviously values highly our efforts, as both our countries have
been given the opportunity to hold the Western Balkans Berlin
Process presidency next year. This can only encourage us to work
 hard on all topics of mutual interest," Minister Avramova said.

She also noted the progress on the programme for transborder
cooperation with North Macedonia. Forty-eight projects worth
over 10 million euro total have already been completed. Avramova
 pointed out that it is very important to bring forward the
implementation of the Pan-European Corridor 8, which is the
shortest link between the Adriatic and the Black Sea.

"We want for our two capitals, Sofia and Skopje, to be connected
 with a nice motorway and a fast railway. We are also working on
 constructing a new border checkpoint at Klepalo (Southwestern
Bulgaria), which will improve economic relations," Avramova
noted. She added that in the next years, Bulgaria will have more
 road infrastructure resources, as an electronic system for
collecting road taxes is currently in construction.

By August 13, drivers with license plates registered in North
Macedonia bought about 85,000 vignettes worth over 2 million
leva total, placing Bulgaria fifth in the sale of vignettes to
foreign drivers. The other four countries are Romania, Turkey,
Germany and Greece. RY/TH

/TH/