Bulgaria and North Macedonia sign landmark deal for cross-border rail link
Bulgaria and North Macedonia have signed an agreement to jointly design, construct, and operate a cross-border railway tunnel that aims to boost transport connectivity and regional integration between the two Balkan neighbors.
The accord was formalized Thursday by Bulgarian Deputy Prime Minister and Transport Minister Grozdan Karadzhov and North Macedonian Deputy Prime Minister and Transport Minister Aleksandar Nikolovski during a ceremony at Gyueshevo train station in southwestern Bulgaria, local media reported.
A milestone in bilateral cooperation
Karadzhov described the agreement as “a significant step in bilateral relations,” emphasizing that the 2.4-kilometer (1.5-mile) tunnel will fill the last missing rail link between the two countries and strengthen transport routes connecting the Black Sea and the Adriatic Sea.
He added that the project would stimulate economic development across the region and enhance integration with European Union and NATO transport networks.
Nikolovski highlighted the tunnel’s strategic, economic, and geopolitical value for both the Balkans and Europe as a whole. He also noted that the project carries additional importance amid Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine, saying the railway corridor “would support NATO operations and assist Ukraine in defending its sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity.”
In a separate development, the European Commission has postponed a €215 million ($246.8 million) payment to Bulgaria, citing the country’s failure to meet a key milestone in its Recovery and Resilience Plan — the establishment of a politically independent anti-corruption commission, BTA news agency reported Wednesday.
According to the report, the decision followed Bulgaria’s missed deadline to implement the reform. A Commission spokesperson told BTA that Brussels remains in close contact with Sofia to provide the necessary guidance and support.
Bulgaria now has six months to fulfill the requirement in order to access the suspended funds.
