Skopje, 21 March 2026 (MIA) - Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport Aleksandar Nikoloski said complete construction of Corridor X is a commitment of the Government so that the country maintains its strategic position in Europe. In addition, he noted, the Government is investing hundreds of millions in the construction of the railway and road infrastructure of Corridor VIII. 

"Currently, Corridor X in Europe is the most economically profitable and most business is concentrated on it. It is true that Corridor IV is a competitor, but Corridor X still has an advantage if it is fully completed by 2031-2032 as planned. Why do I say this? Some time ago, there was a protest by transporters, the borders were closed. Some of the most affected countries were Bulgaria and Greece, and Croatia was also very affected. Transporters started transiting along Corridor IV and realized that transportation is much more expensive for them, because the road is more than 600 km longer compared to Corridor X. If Corridor X is not  fully built, they will drive 600 km more because they will have no choice. We must use the moment and the advantage that we have in terms of location," Nikoloski said in an interview with Kanal 77. 

Nikoloski also mentioned the advantage the country currently has over its neighbors in the construction and development of Corridor VIII.

"We have completed the first phase of the railway to Bulgaria. The Kumanovo - Beljakovce section has been in operation since last January. Work is underway on the Beljakovce - Kriva Palanka section with good dynamics. We are working with the European Investment Bank on announcing the call for the construction of the third section. I expect the call for supervision to be announced next week, and the call for construction to follow in the next two to three weeks, and we should see activities on the ground by late summer, early autumn," said Nikoloski. 

The Deputy PM revealed for the first time concrete steps for the development of the western wing of the railway Corridor VIII, projects that will be of great importance for the development of the economy and business in the western part of the country.

"As regards the western wing of Corridor VIII, on April 22 we will have a meeting with the EU, in Skopje, because we have included this part in the projects under the growth section. The first phase is complete rehabilitation of the Skopje-Jegunovce-Tetovo-Gostivar-Kichevo route, and the second phase is construction of a railway along Kichevo-Ohrid-Struga-border with Albania," the Deputy PM said. 

Commenting on the visit to Washington and the meetings at the World Bank and the U.S. State Department, Deputy PM Nikoloski noted that he participated in the annual World Bank conference, where he delivered an address alongside the European Commissioner for Transport, as well as in a ministerial meeting with representatives from the largest countries in the world, where talks focused on mobility and transport.

In addition to discussing economic issues, Nikoloski also held a series of political meetings at the State Department and the Security Council during his visit to Washington.

"For the first time at a political meeting, at a high level, the number one topic is not the European Union, which I think is a result of the relations that currently exist and is in no way related to Macedonia, but to their mutual relations. And the topic was bilateral cooperation, where this Government is praised for the support it provides. There were certain votes at the UN, where Macedonia was one of the few countries that supported the United States. So the United States is our number one strategic partner, we have a strategic partnership agreement and I believe that should be a priority in foreign policy, just as we recently signed such an agreement with the United Kingdom. So these are the centers outside of Brussels, to which we turn our attention," said Deputy PM Nikoloski. 

Photo: Archive