Skopje, 30 December 2025 (MIA) — With five new locomotives added to its current fleet, National Railways Transport will be able to provide full freight service nationwide, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport Aleksandar Nikoloski said Tuesday before signing the Loan Agreement with the EBRD worth EUR 20.9 million for the modernization of the national railway operator.

According to Nikoloski, rail modernization is of particular importance for Corridor X, which is expected to grow in the coming years, as well as for Corridor VIII, currently being developed through significant investments in rail infrastructure.

"This investment is also part of our broader vision for Skopje — to improve air quality by introducing a city train," the transport minister said, adding that work was underway on building the tracks for one of the three planned rail lines.

He said the remaining two rail lines would be built in the next two years.

"When the entire project is completed, only electric trains will operate on those lines, with the clear goal of completely eliminating the use of diesel locomotives and diesel trains in our capital," he said. 

He noted that the electric trains would contribute to better air quality.

"Finally, I would like to thank you once again," he said. "We are now entering the harder, but key part – the successful procurement." 

"I hope that by March, in cooperation with the EBRD, we will manage to announce the call and then successfully implement the delivery of the new locomotives," Nikoloski said.

Today's signing with the EBRD, he added, would make it possible to purchase at least five new electric locomotives, along with spare parts.

According to Nikoloski, when Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski's government was formed last year, the railway situation was tough. 

"We had zero operational locomotives. Rail transport was practically paralyzed, and numerous trains were stood still on Macedonian tracks," the deputy prime minister said.

"With support from the prime minister," he said, "we managed to put five locomotives into service last year, so now we have over 11 working locomotives already. This completely changes the picture of our country's rail transport."

"The procurement of these five new electric locomotives will be essential for expanding freight service. Of our existing 11 locomotives, four are newer and seven are older. With this new fleet of five locomotives and the existing four newer ones, we will have nine modern locomotives that will be able to provide full freight service nationwide. Some of them can be used in passenger rail service as well," he said. mr/