The call for proposals to choose a contractor for the third segment of the Corridor VIII railway to Bulgaria, spanning from Kriva Palanka to the Bulgarian border, has been issued. Simultaneously, the process to select a supervising engineer and technical consultant is in progress.

The upcoming railway section is anticipated to cover a distance of 23.4 kilometers, encompassing 22 tunnels, 52 bridges, and stations near Kriva Palanka and Zhidilovo village.

The Railway Infrastructure Public Enterprise shared, “We anticipate the appointment of a technical consultant by the first quarter of 2024 and a supervising engineer by the second quarter. The selection process for the contractor is slated to conclude by the third quarter of 2024. With this timeline, groundwork activities are expected to commence in 2025.”

Regarding land acquisition, approximately 60 percent of the land required for the section has been acquired, primarily in rural areas.

A funding package totaling EUR 560 million has been secured for this railway section. This includes a EUR 61 million grant from IPA funds, EUR 149 million from the Western Balkans Investment Framework, and loans amounting to EUR 175 million each from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the European Investment Bank.

Construction on the eastern parts of Corridor VIII railway—specifically, the Kumanovo – Beljakovce and Beljakovce – Kriva Palanka sections—is expected to progress in the upcoming year. The Ministry of Transport and Communications, alongside the Railway Infrastructure Public Enterprise, has confirmed that construction aligns with contractor plans.

Progress on the Kumanovo – Beljakovce section has surpassed 45 percent completion, with expectations to open this segment for traffic by October 2024.

For the Beljakovce – Kriva Palanka section, construction progress has exceeded 18 percent. Despite challenges, the contractor is on track to meet the agreed-upon deadline, aiming for completion by February 2026.

Approximately EUR 200 million has already been invested in the initial two sections of the railway.

Combined, the anticipated length of the three projected segments in the eastern wing of the Corridor VIII railway totals 89 kilometers.