We have serious activities in the part of connecting the road infrastructure with Bulgaria and by the middle of 2023 we will have a partially expanded and completely renewed road connection. The construction of the first two sections for railway connection will start in the spring in the amount of an investment of around 200 million euros, and an additional meeting will be agreed next week to consider the possibilities for air connection between Skopje and Sofia, which will be profitable and for the airline, but also for the citizens, he says in interview for BNT Minister of Transport and Communications Blagoj Bochvarski.

In the interview, Bochvarski points out that this is a private air carrier or private air carriers that could operate on the route Skopje - Sofia, but without subsidies or assistance from governments.

- We want the airlines to find their profitability in this line and therefore we are open to discuss, to include travel agencies, to include all stakeholders, business chambers, companies that have some opportunity for cooperation between the two countries to find cost-effectiveness of this line - Sofia - Skopje, maybe Tirana, Sofia - Skopje maybe Athens, or any third route that will give a plus opportunity to citizens, business companies, maybe to tourist destinations that would fly through Sofia or Skopje to the final destination of the citizens, Bochvarski emphasizes.

Bochvarski, in an interview with BNR, said that they had excellent meetings in Sofia where they discussed several topics, including the connection of road infrastructure between the two countries, but also the railway infrastructure and the opening of an airline.

- We are already working on the construction of a new expressway on a section between Rankovce and Kriva Palanka. It is a serious road connection on a very difficult section where things are already moving well and we are expected to complete this part in the second half, ie the middle of 2023. At the same time, we are rehabilitating the entire road connection from Kumanovo to the border with Bulgaria. Of course, the section from Kriva Palanka to the border crossing Deve Bair with Bulgaria will be fully expanded, rehabilitated with a third lane in that mountain pass, which means that we have serious activities in terms of connecting road infrastructure, says Bochvarski.

Regarding the railway connection between Sofia and Skopje, Bochvarski says that it is a serious financial construction and that the construction of the first two sections will start in the spring, an investment worth about 200 million euros and that it will remain in 2023 to start construction of the third and last section.

- It is the last and most difficult section between the Republic of Northern Macedonia and Bulgaria where we have a number of tunnels, bridges that need to be built and that is another step for which today we signed a Memorandum of Cooperation where both countries with all experts will include and work together at the border crossing, tunnels and everything that is complex in the construction of this railway.

Any improvement of the road connection between the two countries, according to Bochvarski, means development of the economy, development of the business sector, connection of companies, connection of citizens on both sides of the border.

- One of the topics that we also discussed is the Klepalo border crossing near Berovo, which means that it is another very important topic for connection between citizens. "Here we have a series of steps that the Bulgarian side should take to connect and open another border crossing between the two countries," Bochvarski said.

Bochvarski, in the interview, says that Corridor 8 is a serious issue, strategically important for the whole region and for Europe, because it connects the axis East - West, from Durres (Albania) through Struga - Ohrid - Skopje, to Bulgaria and the Black Sea. .

- It is a very important axis and therefore we should do our best, it is our task as ministries of transport and communications of the two countries, of course Albania, to start building and building this axis as soon as possible. we are done. We also signed a Memorandum together with the three countries, but now we need to concretize and enter into resolving all key points so that this process moves faster. The financial construction is partially secured and we are working on providing all those financial means that are needed, Bochvarski explained in the interview.

Source: MIA