site.btaEU Fully Supports Strengthening Cooperation Between Bulgaria and North Macedonia, Says EC Director

The agreement on the preparation, construction, and operation of the cross-border railway tunnel between Bulgaria and the Republic of North Macedonia was important not only for both countries but also for the wider region, for the European Union as a whole, and for its member states, said Valentina Superti, Director for the Western Balkans at the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations, on Thursday.

Earlier in the day, at the railway station in the village of Gyueshevo, Bulgarian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport and Communications Grozdan Karadjov and North Macedonia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport Aleksandar Nikoloski signed an Agreement on Transport Connectivity between the two countries.

Superti said that the European Commission was pleased to see that the commitments made during the Brussels meeting on July 16 had been honoured, leading to the signing of this important agreement. She stressed that the European Union supported the strengthening of cooperation between the two countries and, together with its partners, was providing substantial financial assistance for the project. She added that the EU counted on the leadership of both sides to ensure the agreement’s effective and timely implementation.

Superti underscored that the construction of the tunnel along Corridor VIII is part of the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T), a flagship initiative within the Global Gateway strategy, which would bring broad social and economic benefits to the region. The project would improve transport services, expand access to the EU and global markets, and strengthen the region’s competitiveness through sustainable transport solutions.

She added that Corridor VIII served as a mechanism for stronger regional cooperation and for overcoming infrastructure gaps across the Western Balkans, stressing that it was also of strategic importance for regional security.

Superti reaffirmed that the EU remained fully committed to supporting the implementation of the project. She noted that joint work on cross-border projects fostered good-neighbourly relations, which were essential in the context of the EU accession process.

She concluded by encouraging both sides to continue working together to strengthen cooperation, saying that such efforts would contribute to a stronger and more prosperous Europe, and reaffirmed that Bulgaria and North Macedonia could rely on the EU’s support.