The remaining part of the long-awaited railway connection between North Macedonia and Bulgaria, which has had several attempts over the past three decades, has finally started to be built with the EU support, as part of the Pan-European Corridor VIII, connecting to the Orient/East-Med Corridor on Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T).

The project was identified as a Flagship project within the Economic and Investment Plan for the Western Balkans.

The modern railway will connect the two countries, also creates a regional linking of the Adriatic Sea ports in Albania with the Black Sea ports in Bulgaria, opens opportunities for the economy, the business community, opens new European routes that are of exceptional importance for the economy and in general for the cooperation of the region.

It will ease the travel of the citizens of both countries, as there is a lack of direct air lines, at the same time providing more ecological transport.