The statements of North Macedonian Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski, his Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport Alexander Nikoloski and other responsible factors in the Republic of North Macedonia regarding Corridor 8 are complete lies and manipulation.
The National Railway Infrastructure Company of Bulgaria, which is directly responsible for the project, sent BGNES a complete report, including a financial report for the construction of the entire infrastructure along Corridor 8 to the Macedonian border.
With funds from the Operational Program "Transport and Transport Infrastructure" 2014-2020, Bulgaria finances the preparation of the modernization of the railway line from Sofia - Pernik - Radomir - Gyueshevo - border with the Republic of North Macedonia.
Regarding the railway section Sofia-Pernik-Radomir, a survey report and technical passports of the existing stations and intermediate stations, which are kept within the scope of the project, have been prepared. Cadastral maps and registers were also made. A technical project for the railway section and a detailed layout plan have been approved. A geodetic report and an engineering-geological report have been prepared.
"The development activities have been completed and the Technical Project and the detailed layout plan are about to be approved by the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works", stated the NKŽI.
With regard to the second part of the section, which includes the section from Radomir-Gyueshevo to the border with North Macedonia, the conceptual projects for the Radomir-Gyueshevo and Gueshevo-border with the macedonian railway lines have been approved. All the technical details necessary for the construction of these two sections have also been completed here, including: prepared technical passports of the existing stations and intermediate stations, which are preserved within the scope of the project; cadastral maps and registers; updated cost-benefit analysis; technical project for the elements of the railway infrastructure, technical specifications and applications, prepared and approved cadastral maps and cadastral registers; geodetic report and engineering-geological report and prepared construction implementation strategy.
The technical design and layout plans are in the process of being implemented.
"During the preparation of both sections, field archeological surveys were carried out and field documentation was prepared," NKŽI also specifies.
The procedures according to the Law on Environmental Protection have also been carried out, including an assessment of the compatibility of the project with the subject and objectives of the protection of protected areas. "We have issued a Decision on EIA for an investment proposal for "Modernization of the railway line Radomir - Gueshevo - border with the Republic of North Macedonia, including the section from Radomir - Gueshevo to the entrance to the Deve Bair tunnel", for which we are yet to be notified by the competent authority - RISV Sofia, regarding its entry into force", the NKRI states.
Design solutions for the section from the Gueshevo station to the entrance to the "Deve Bair" tunnel are being developed as a priority. It is planned to have a Technical Project prepared at the end of the year in scope and content, according to the technical requirements of the contracting authority.
The investments required for the implementation of the project developments for the section Sofia-Pernik-Radomir to Gyueshevo (the entrance to the "Deve Bair" tunnel) have an indicative value of BGN 2.250 billion.
During the preparation of the tender procedures for construction, the indicative values of the individual sections will be updated according to the current prices at the time of announcement.
Work is very active not only on the section connecting Sofia with the border, but also the one connecting the capital with Burgas.
At the end of 2028, construction activities worth BGN 2.039 billion on the Sofia-Septemvri route are expected to be completed. It is planned that by 2029, a European rail traffic management system will be implemented in the Elin Pelin section by September. The Septemvri - Plovdiv section was completed under the OPT 2007-2013 and put into operation in 2017. The rehabilitation of the Plovdiv Junction and Plovdiv - Burgas Junction is in progress with an indicative completion date of 2024 with a total cost of BGN 0.920 billion.
Currently, the railway infrastructure is being rehabilitated along the Karnobat - Sindel route, with the aim of doubling railway sections. There, the total investments for all planned activities will be worth about BGN 1.57 billion. Documentation is being prepared for the Varna node for the announcement of a tender procedure for the preparation of project solutions for its rehabilitation.
"The construction of the transport infrastructure along Corridor 8, which connects Bulgaria with the Republic of Macedonia and Albania, is extremely important for our country. Sofia has repeatedly raised the issue of its construction at the highest level and has lobbied for the provision of European funds. NKŽI is actively working on all railway lines that are part of the corridor, and each project is at a different stage of implementation," the railway company told BGNES.
In the last month and a half, we have witnessed an unprecedented attack by the authorities in the Republic of Macedonia against Corridor 8. The tone for another essentially anti-Bulgarian attack was set by Prime Minister Mickoski, and gradually various politicians from our southwestern neighbor joined it.
Although the financing of the eastern part of Corridor 8, which is supposed to connect Skopje to the Bulgarian border, is provided by the EU and loans from the EBRD and the EIB, the North Macedonian authorities are doing everything possible not only to delay the project, but also to divert funds for the development of transport connectivity with Belgrade.
To make it completely absurd, it even came to a statement like that of the Minister of Transport Nikolski, who accused Bulgaria of not wanting to finish the railway line.
The lies and outright misinformation being spread about Corridor 8 caused a negative reaction among Bulgaria's European partners.
Germany's Special Representative for the Western Balkans, Manuel Saratsin, emphasized the strategic importance of this transport link for the region. "Transport corridors in Europe are the competence of Brussels. It is not in the power of an individual country to change European priorities in transport policy. In Sofia, I understood that Bulgaria is puzzled and worried by this request of Skopje. The construction of Corridor No. 8 is certainly of strategic importance," emphasized the German diplomat.
In a special statement, the Bulgarian government expressed its concern over Skopje's violation of international commitments in the field of infrastructure connectivity, including by redirecting European funds for the construction of the railway component of Corridor 8 to another transport project. "Trans-European Corridor 8 is not just connecting the Republic of Macedonia with Bulgaria, but aims to increase the geostrategic autonomy of the EU. It is also becoming a key logistics route along NATO's southern flank from the Adriatic to the Black Sea and is of great importance in the current geopolitical moment. The refusal to build the main components of Corridor 8 weakens the collective security of the Alliance", the Bulgarian government is categorical. I BGNES
