Sofia, 15 January 2025 (MIA) - The Bulgarian government has sent a draft-agreement to North Macedonia over the preparation, construction and operation of a cross-border railway tunnel connecting the two countries, said the Bulgarian Ministry of Transport and Communications on Wednesday.

The proposal of the Bulgarian state is that the two governments undertake specific and clear commitments for the implementation of the cross-border railway tunnel, which is a key element of Corridor 8.

With the signing of the document prepared by the Ministry of Transport and Communications of the Republic of Bulgaria, the technical, financial, legal and organizational issues related to the construction of the tunnel will be agreed, which shall be in accordance with the European and national legislation of both countries, reads the press release.

According to the proposal, the parties will agree which of them will be responsible for the construction of the cross-border facility, for the public procurements and the supervision of the construction. It is envisaged that the railway infrastructure managers of the Republic of Bulgaria and the Republic of North Macedonia will create joint working groups for the preparation of the necessary documentation for the tender procedures.

Within three months from the entry into force of the agreement, the Republic of Bulgaria and the Republic of North Macedonia must prepare and submit to the European Commission and the financing institutions a common schedule for the implementation of the construction. In the draft agreement, it is also stipulated that both parties will make every effort to provide grant aid for the construction of the tunnel facility and its adjacent railway infrastructure, complying with EU and NATO requirements regarding the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) standards.

The Bulgarian side is ready to begin negotiations with the Republic of North Macedonia on the proposed texts as soon as possible and further to proceed with its signing, reads the press release.

The Bulgarian Government approved the draft agreement with the Republic of North Macedonia for the construction and operation of the Deve Bair cross-border railway tunnel on December 30. The agreement includes provisions for establishing a Joint Committee to coordinate all activities related to the construction and operation of the Deve Bair tunnel.

The 31-kilometer long Kumanovo-Beljakovce section of the railway to Bulgaria is already completed and will be put into use in January. Regarding the second section, from Beljakovce to Kriva Palanka, 27.3 percent have been completed, and the deadline is 2026. The third section of the railway starts from Kriva Palanka and ends at the border with Bulgaria.

MIA file photo