EBRD partners with EU for Macedonian Railway Corridor VIII
The modernisation of FYR Macedonia’s railway infrastructure is progressing, with the signing of a grant agreement for a further €68.6 million of co-financing from the European Union through the Western Balkans Investment Framework.
The grant will be used to co-finance the construction of approximately 34km of the rail network, from Beljakovce to Kriva Palanka, the second phase of the railway Corridor VIII project, which, once completed, is to become part of the Trans-European Transport Network, linking the country with Albania in the west and Bulgaria in the east.
It follows sovereign loans of €46.4 million and €145 million provided by the EBRD to the Macedonian government for on-lending to the Macedonian Public Enterprise for Railway Infrastructure.
The first phase of the project – the rehabilitation of a rail section approximately 31km in length between Kumanovo and Beljakovce - is currently being implemented. For the second phase, procurement activities have started and the contractor that will carry out the work is now being selected.
