Skopje, 16 June 2025 (MIA) – The Ministry of Finance will send letters to banks Monday or Tuesday at the latest, inviting them to submit financing offers for the high-speed rail project on Corridor 10. As Finance Minister Gordana Dimitrieska-Kochoska stated Monday, the final deadline for banks to submit their offers has not yet been defined.

In response to a journalist’s remark that there is still no project for the fast rail line on the basis of which funds could be requested, Dimitrieska-Kochoska noted that she might have “some information.” However, she directed the media to ask the Ministry of Transport for details on whether the project exists or not.

“What exactly it means to have a project and in what form is something I think you should ask the Ministry of Transport. You say we don’t have a project, but I have some information. Please ask the Ministry of Transport, I am not the minister who makes the project. I have received information at the Government level, I was assigned tasks, we have expressed our views regarding the Information we received and were tasked to continue the process of gathering data. There have been too many speculations recently, and I think the Ministry should give you a clear answer, yes or no, what data they have, because once the information reached the government, it means they have included data inside,” Dimitrieska-Kochoska said.

Regarding the final deadline for the offers, she emphasized that first it needs to be seen how many banks there are.

“We need to find out how many banks will participate so we can estimate the time needed for both parties. I expect the offers to be submitted by June 30, but please wait until we send the letter; we will then announce the final deadline. The government tasked us to submit offers within five days, and we base the deadline on the documents. It might be necessary to extend the deadline if banks request more information. The letter provides contacts from the Ministry of Finance and other responsible institutions because the Ministry of Finance is not responsible for the project details that need financing. This concerns €1.91 billion that will be requested as offers from a larger list of banks, including those we have ongoing cooperation with, such as the World Bank, EBRD, and EIB. You will be informed in due time as the offers arrive, including their details. We are obliged to send out the letters within five working days. Once they are sent, you will receive information about every single offer. To avoid any doubt, the Ministry of Finance will be as transparent as it always has been,” Dimitrieska-Kochoska said.

Photo: MIA