6 minutes agoSkopje signs agreement with EURZH on construction of joint railway crossing with Serbia
Periskopi(a year ago)
(a year ago)Northern Macedonia has signed an agreement with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (BERZH) for a 2.4m-euro investment grant, to be used for construction of the joint railway crossing at the Tabanovca border point, connecting the country with Serbia. The agreement was signed on Wednesday, March 5, by the deputy prime minister and [...]
The deal was signed on Wednesday, March 5th by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport and Links Aleksandar Nikoloski, and EURZH office chief in Skopje Fatih Turkmenoglu.
The project is part of a 7.6m-euro investment package for the creation of a common border crossing, aimed at “improving infrastructure and facilitating the flow of goods and passengers between the two countries”.
Within this project, B The ERZH in advance approved a 5m-euro loan and a grant of 250,000 euros.
This way we will improve communication between the two states because we will have stop shopping [joint border control] even in the railway, when traveling by train. I hope this will be an entrance to restore the regular railway line of travellers between Skopje and Belgrade, for which effort is undoubtedly needed on both sides. It's a 7.4m-euro total project in the construction section and 250,000 euros in the part of consultative services and supervision”, Minister Nikoloski said.
The project envisions building a new joint building for border, customs and inspection services of northern Macedonia and Serbia, as well as the renovation of existing facilities in Tabanovca. Also, new road and municipal infrastructure will be built.
Construction is expected to begin this year, following contractor selection, and to be completed within two years. The railway line between Northern Macedonia and Serbia is part of Corridor 10, which relates to expanding the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) in the Western Balkans region.
EU Ambassador to Northern Macedonia Michaels Rokas said that with these investments, the EU is directly supporting efforts to improve the railway system of Corridor 10 and improve regional ties, REL reports.
BELZH chief Fatih Turkmenoglu said the project is evidence “of the European Bank's continued support for improving the country's “infrastructure, naming it a key investment in promoting regional growth and strengthening railway ties in the Western Balkans”.
