Skopje, 1 March 2023 (MIA) – Through investments and cooperation, we will connect and integrate the region, we will shorten travel times for citizens and business. If we want to be a true transit state, we need to follow all modern systems in roads and railroads, Minister for Transport and Communications Blagoj Bochvarski told the Skopje Economic Forum on Wednesday.

In regard to the necessity to connect the region, Minister Bochvarski presented the current and future activities and projects to build and modernize road, railroad and gas infrastructure.

He expects the construction of the first gas interconnector between North Macedonia and Greece to start this year, noting "this project is of exceptional significance, given we currently only have one interconnected link with Bulgaria."

“By finalizing the branch towards Gostivar this year, we will close the ring by continuing them towards Kichevo and ultimately Ohrid, to close the ring to construct the gas pipeline,” Bochvarski said.

He highlighted the importance of the recent inclusion of Corridor 8 in the map of main EU corridors, as well as the start of the Kumanovo - Kriva Palanka railroad, an investment valued at around EUR 200 million.

The project for the Intelligent Transport System that will be placed on Corridor 10 is also designed, and the World Bank has secured funds for it. The contractor selection will begin this year.

“This project is the first of its kind in the country, which will be of significant importance and aid to all those transiting the country. If we want to be a true transit state, we need to follow all modern road and railway systems that neighboring and European countries have,” Bochvarski said.

He expects the integration policies among all countries of the region to yield benefits, and that the Open Balkan Initiative will achieve the goals to open the borders and allow for a much faster arrival at the desired destination, enabling as many open borders as possible for companies and citizens.

“One example we can brag with is the expressway worth EUR 64 million from Shtip to Radovish which was finalized four months before the deadline because we had a good project, good management and problems were overcome as they popped up. We also had bad examples that relatively took away time and energy with delays, such as the Kichevo-Ohrid motorway. We have redesigned 25% of the track while the mechanization was already in place, and we have solved over 3,400 expropriations,” Bochvarski said and added that the planned amount of capital investments will be realized this year, projected at EUR 800 million. dk/ik/

Photo: Ministry of Transport and Communications