site.btaBulgaria's Transport Minister Comments on Importance of Corridor 8, Questions Skopje's Stance

Bulgaria's Transport and Communications Minister Krasimira Stoyanova Saturday told Bulgaria on Air TV that Sofia prioritizes Corridor 8 and that she could not see why the Republic of North Macedonia would not give its businesses and citizens access to more markets, greater competition and faster movement.

Stoyanova commented on a press release by the European Commission of October 16 that Bulgaria and North Macedonia had reaffirmed their commitment to continue construction of Railway Corridor 8 under the TEN-T Regulation. To this, North Macedonia's Transport Minister Aleksandar Nikoloski reacted by saying that the current design of railway Corridor VIII "will certainly not be implemented" and it remains to be seen whether a new one will be implemented.

Stoyanova said that being an EU Member State, Bulgaria firmly stands by its commitment to build Corridor 8. She recalled that Sofia and Skopje have pledged to cooperate under the 2017 Treaty of Friendship, Good Neighbourliness and Cooperation, including through the construction of transport infrastructure. 

The linking of Black Sea and Adriatic ports is an asset, said Stoyanova. It defies reason that the citizens of Bulgaria's neighbour should be deprived of this asset and of more benefits in every respect. This is the only Pan-European corridor which, when built as rail infrastructure, would link the Balkans from east to west. This would facilitate travel, reduce travel time, and create many more opportunities for the movement of people, goods and services, the Minister said.

Bulgaria has built the entire railway infrastructure, with one stretch of about 2.5 kilometres yet to be built, for which funding is available, Stoyanova said.

Bulgaria will be ready to complete the section from Gyueshevo to the border with North Macedonia by 2030. However, there are no assurances and clear timelines from the Republic of North Macedonia for the stretch from Kriva Palanka to the border with Bulgaria, the Transport Minister said.