| Work Detail |
The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport of North Macedonia, Aleksandar Nikoloski, and the Head of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development Office, Fatih Turkmenoglu, signed a EUR 2.4 million grant agreement for the construction of a joint border rail station between North Macedonia and Serbia. “The joint rail crossing between North Macedonia and Serbia will improve the communication between the two countries and we will get one-stop-shop crossing for the road and railway traffic. I hope that this will be an introduction towards re-establishing the regular passenger railway line between Skopje and Belgrade, which will require efforts on both sides,” the Minister of Transport Nikoloski, said. The signing ceremony was also attended by the EBRD Head of North Macedonia, Fatih Türkmenoglu, and the EU Ambassador to North Macedonia, Michalis Rokas. Works include upgrading the railway station’s existing buildings and constructing new energy efficient joint buildings with photovoltaic panels. The project also covers the renovation of existing facilities in Tabanovce and the construction of new road and utility infrastructure. Once in use, the joint station will be shared by staff from both countries, helping optimise border customs control procedures and reducing waiting times, travel for people and goods. According to the planned dynamics, it is expected that the contractor will be selected this year when the construction of the new joint border rail station with the associated facilities will be also launched. The project is scheduled to be completed in two years from the contract signing. Project’s financing The construction work for the stations has a value of EUR 7.4 million, and EUR 250,000 is the value for consultant services and supervision. The EU funds, which are provided through the Western Balkans Investment Framework (WBIF), complement a EUR 5 million loan already provided by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and will finance construction and technical assistance. The WBIF provided financing for the feasibility study, detailed design and tender documentation for an office building housing both countries’ officials working at the border station such as customs, police, and inspection. The project is supported by a total financing of EUR 8.7 million of which a EUR 5 million loan from the EBRD, while EUR 3.15 million is the total value of two grants approved by WBIF. EUR 300,000 is North Macedonia’s contribution, and a EUR 275,000 external grant was covered by CONNECTA The grant agreement is part of the investment package of EUR 7.6 million for the construction of the joint border rail station in Tabanovce, a village located in the north of North Macedonia, at the border with Serbia, situated 8 km from the nearest town, Kumanovo. This station is situated on the Corridor X rail route, delivering a better regional connectivity and integration, and is also part of the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) extension to the Western Balkans region. With the EUR 2.8 million grant, the EU is directly supporting efforts to upgrade the Corridor X railway system and improve regional connectivity. This project aims to transform the barriers that borders create into opportunities for faster connections to the EU. And this is not all. With the new Reform and Growth Facility, the EU’s support for regional connectivity will grow even stronger,” the EU Ambassador to North Macedonia, Michalis Rokas, said. Benefits of the project include faster border crossing and reduced travel time for passengers and freight traffic along a major European Corridor, as well as improved working conditions for official border staff. The project is part of the EC’s connectivity agenda in the Western Balkans financed by the WBIF. Corridor X rail route in North Macedonia is 215 km long and starts at Tabanovce in the north and ends at Gevgelija in the south, being operational, with several sections already renovated. In February 2015, the Transport Ministers of North Macedonia and Serbia agreed to develop the joint border station in Tabanovce to facilitate border crossing procedures. North Macedoania also plans to modernise the Tabanovce – Gevgelija railway line which currently is operational, but the signalling and communications systems are outdated, which is seriously affecting traffic flows and safety. The upgrade and modernisation of this line secured a EUR 103.8 million financing of which the EBRD provides a loan of EUR 103 million, while WBIF delivers two grants totalling EUR 804,000. |
