Skopje, 27 November 2025 (MIA) - We have secured funds from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development to purchase at least five new electric locomotives, modernizing Macedonian Railways so that we can handle the entire freight transport in the country, said Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport Aleksandar Nikoloski in answer to an MP’s question at Parliament’s Q&A session on Thursday.

“In cooperation with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development we secured funds amounting to nearly EUR 21 million with which we are to buy at least five new electric locomotives. You know that last year, when this government was formed, we unfortunately had zero active locomotives, and now we have 11, of which 4 are newer and 7 older. With 9 locomotives that would be electric, we will be able to serve the entire freight transport, hopefully already from 2028, since the delivery period for these locomotives is two years, and what we have as an announcement from the EBRD is that in March next year we will be able to see the call published,” Nikoloski said.

Nikoloski also said the Railways Transport public enterprise and the Austrian Federal Railways are close to signing an agreement for cooperation, which he said would bring huge financial benefits to the enterprise.

“Macedonian Railways Transport and Austrian Railways are close to signing an agreement as part of which our locomotives will be used for freight transport that should run from Piraeus, Athens to Vienna. We agreed this with representatives of the Austrian Government, and now the two directors [of the railway companies] are already communicating,” Nikoloski added.

MIA file photo