Skopje, 16 May 2023 (MIA) - Minister of Transport and Communications Blagoj Bochvarski is paying Tuesday a visit to Montenegro to attend a Western Balkans ministerial conference organized by the Transport Community Secretariat and the Central European Free Trade Agreement (CEFTA).

An annex to the European Commission decision regarding the High-level Understanding between the European Union and the Republic of North Macedonia, on the indicative maps of the Trans-European transport network in the Republic of North Macedonia is to be signed during the conference.

The annex signing puts Corridor 8 on the map of the main corridors of the Western Balkans, within the framework of the expansion of the trans-European transport networks of the European Union. This has been made possible after the European Union accepted the request of North Macedonia, Bulgaria, Italy and Albania for Corridor 8 to enter the network of main corridors in the region and in Europe.

The purpose of the development of the Trans-European Transport Networks (TEN-T) is to ensure uninterrupted, sustainable and efficient transport across the Union, strengthening social, economic and territorial unity.

After the European Commission in December 2021 proposed a revision, in order to include the priorities of the Green Agenda, sustainable and smart mobility strategy and the strategy for connectivity, the decision was made to extend the indicative maps of TEN-T to specific neighboring countries, including of the Western Balkans region (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Republic of North Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro).

Indicative maps of trans-European transport network extended to North Macedonia aim to ensure the coherence between the trans-European transport network of the Union and the transport network of North Macedonia; aim to promote adequate planning and development of sustainable and resource efficient transport connectivity between the Union and North Macedonia; facilitate the identification of common infrastructure priorities between the Union and North Macedonia; aim to facilitate the development of the existing transport network, said the government.

This is one of the Government's arguments over the use of the EU flag (fast-track procedure) for the legislative amendments related to the construction of four motorway sections within Corridors VIII and Xd by the Bechtel-Enka consortium.

"These amendments will speed up the construction of not only these but also other projects of national interest," said the Government.