site.btaBulgaria Proposes Draft Agreement to North Macedonia for Construction of Corridor 8 Cross-Border Railway Tunnel

The Bulgarian Government sent a draft agreement to the Republic of North Macedonia regarding the preparation, construction, and operation of a cross-border railway tunnel which will connect the two countries, the Ministry of Transport and Communications said on Tuesday.

The proposal suggests that both governments should take clear and specific commitments to the construction of the tunnel, which is a key component of the Pan-European Transport Corridor 8. 

Once signed, the agreement, prepared by the Transport Ministry, will address the technical, financial, legal, and organizational aspects of the tunnel’s construction, in line with the laws of both countries and European regulations.

The countries will agree on who will be responsible for building the tunnel, managing public tenders, and overseeing construction. Railway authorities from both Bulgaria and North Macedonia will set up joint working groups to prepare the necessary documents for tender procedures.

Within three months of the agreement coming into force, both countries must send a common timeline for the construction to the European Commission and funding institutions. They will work to secure EU and NATO funding for the tunnel and the related railway infrastructure, following the standards of the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T).

Bulgaria is ready to start negotiations with North Macedonia on the proposed texts and move forward with signing the agreement as soon as possible, the Transport Ministry noted.