Ministry of Transport proposes signing a new intergovernmental agreement with clear commitments and deadlines for the construction of the railway line between Bulgaria and North Macedonia

The Ministry of Transport and Communications proposes that the two sides begin work on signing an intergovernmental agreement that would settle the issues regarding the preparation, construction and operation of the railway connection.

We are witnessing yet another speculative statement by the authorities in the Republic of North Macedonia regarding the negotiations for the construction of the railway connection. The Ministry of Transport and Communications of the Republic of Bulgaria once again notes that the incorrect approach will not lead to an effective solution to this important issue. The Ministry of Transport and Communications of the Republic of Bulgaria proposes the signing of a clear and workable agreement that would regulate the technical, financial, legal and organizational issues related to the preparation, construction and operation of the cross-border railway tunnel facility between the two countries in accordance with European legislation.

The Bulgarian authorities expect that the signing of the agreement will put an end to the prevailing trend on the part of the RSM for additional clarification, clarification and change of already reached agreements. The aim is to direct efforts into specific and clear steps for the implementation of the project. We would like to note that after the meeting held on October 31, 2024 technical meeting in Sofia, there has still been no agreement reached by the RSM on the protocol record of the talks, but on the other hand, the suggestions and accusations towards the Bulgarian institutions have not stopped. On the Bulgarian side, we have repeatedly stated that the price and problems of building the railway line from Kriva Palanka to the border with the Republic of Bulgaria are entirely the RSM's commitment and cannot be the subject of negotiations between the two countries, as the Republic of Bulgaria has clearly indicated its deadlines and commitments for the construction of the Corridor VIII route on its territory.

The negotiations on the construction of the railway connection have become a screen for political messages and an attempt to resolve internal political issues of our neighbors, which have nothing to do with the interest of both countries in the implementation of the project. The use of football terminology in their context is offensive to the constructive and well-intentioned tone that the Bulgarian representatives observe and impose, and unusually as a form of communication between two neighboring countries.

We propose signing an agreement in which the parties agree to adopt as a common goal the construction of a cross-border railway tunnel between the Republic of Bulgaria and the Republic of North Macedonia in the border area of ​​the railway line, including through the conduct of public procurement for construction and supervision of the construction of the tunnel by one of the contracting parties and the making of efforts to provide grant aid for the construction of the tunnel, and the constructed facility should meet the requirements of the EU and NATO for this type of infrastructure. Within a short period of time from the date of signing this agreement, it is envisaged to prepare a preliminary schedule for the preparation and construction of the tunnel, which will be presented to the European Commission and the financing European banking institutions. The agreement will provide for the establishment of a Joint Committee to coordinate all activities and resolve issues related to the construction, operation and maintenance of the facility, based on the relevant decisions of both parties.

Our proposal for clear and unambiguous commitments, concrete steps and deadlines will restore pragmatic and reasonable dialogue and guarantee real progress on the project.