Skopje, 13 April 2023 (MIA) - We are working on the Corridor VIII railway section to Bulgaria but also all other projects in the citizens' interest, but these require long periods of design and construction, said Minister of Transport and Communications Blagoj Bochvarski on Thursday.

Minister Bochvarski told a press conference that the Corridor VIII railway to Bulgaria would cost the country over EUR 600 million.

"European funds and the EU are providing serious support and this is something that the country is doing as strategic interest in networking the entire region," said Bochvarski.

According to him, the railway sector was hit hard by the covid-pandemic, although it operated with difficulties before that.

"We are currently rehabilitating one Corridor X section, Nogaevci-Negotino, which hinders traffic along this corridor. On the other hand, there was an interruption in the railway traffic in Greece, traffic in Serbia was also reduced, and all of this resulted in a drop of the competitiveness of the railway traffic," said Bochvarski.

He voiced expectation that activities on all key infrastructure projects would continue in the coming years, leading to increased traffic - international, passenger and cargo - at all destinations.