site.btaTransport Ministry Dismisses Claims of Delay of Bulgaria–North Macedonia Railway Project

The Ministry of Transport and Communications said on Friday it has not delayed construction of the railway line connecting Bulgaria with the Republic of North Macedonia.

Allegations of postponed modernization of the Bulgarian section of the railway are media speculation, the Ministry noted. The Radomir–Gyueshevo railway is operational, and when the 2.5 km section from Gyueshevo to Deve Bair is finished, it will link with North Macedonia’s network through a cross-border tunnel.

The Ministry added that the National Railway Infrastructure Company has commissioned the design for fully rehabilitating the entire route, aiming for speeds up to 160 km/h. This initiative is also financed by the Transport Connectivity Programme 2021–2027.

On January 15, 2025, Bulgaria submitted a draft Agreement for a cross-border railway tunnel facility to North Macedonia, highlighting a shared goal of constructing a tunnel between the two countries in the border area. The project includes public procurement for building and supervision by one of the signatories and efforts to secure grant funding.

The completed structure should meet EU and NATO requirements for such infrastructure, the Ministry said, adding that it has yet to receive an official response from North Macedonia.

Earlier on Friday, North Macedonia's Transport Minister Aleksandar Nikoloski said he believes that the Bulgarian government's [alleged] decision to redirect funds originally intended for the repair of parts of the Sofia-Skopje railway to the construction of a line linking Sofia and Burgas (on the Black Sea) sends a political message about Bulgaria's commitment to the development of Pan-European Transport Corridor 8.