site.btaParliament Ratifies Agreement on Construction of Cross-border Railway Tunnel between Bulgaria and North Macedonia

On Friday, the National Assembly adopted at first and second reading in a single sitting, the bill for the ratification of the Agreement on the preparation, construction, and operation of a cross-border railway tunnel between the Government of the Republic of Bulgaria and the Government of the Republic of North Macedonia, signed on November 6, 2025, in the village of Gyueshevo, Western Bulgaria.

The agreement reached is the result of Bulgaria's long-standing efforts to establish a railway link between Sofia and Skopje and is an important step towards connecting the railway networks of the two countries and building the missing section of Corridor VIII, according to the explanatory memorandum to the bill.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport and Communications Grozdan Karadjov pointed out that the missing section in Bulgaria is only 2.4 km from Gyueshevo station to the state border with North Macedonia at Deve Bair. According to him, the tunnel will be only 2.4 km long, but its significance far exceeds its size. "After more than 83 years of silence in the bends of this tunnel, as the first meters on the Bulgarian side have already been dug, construction will resume, and you will make this possible today with your vote," he said, addressing MPs. 

The agreement regulates the countries’ obligations for the construction of a cross-border railway tunnel in the border area of the railway line, including public procurement contracts for construction and supervision, as well as efforts to secure grant funding for the construction of the facility, which should meet EU and NATO requirements for this type of infrastructure. Shortly after the agreement enters into force, a preliminary schedule for the preparation and construction of the tunnel will be drawn up and submitted to the European Commission and the financing European banking institutions. The agreement provides for the establishment of a joint committee which will coordinate and manage all activities, and resolve issues related to the construction, operation, and maintenance of the facility, the explanatory memorandum to the bill states.

The cross-border tunnel is a key element of the Western Balkans-Eastern Mediterranean transport corridor and the strategic Corridor VIII. Its implementation will provide the missing rail link between Bulgaria and the Republic of North Macedonia and will improve transport access between the Black Sea and the Adriatic. The planned length of the tunnel is about 2.4 km, half of which is located in Bulgaria. Its construction is expected to support the economic development of the region and strengthen the integration of transport networks at EU and NATO level.