On 31 October 2024, a pre-planned technical meeting was held between the Directors-General of Railway Infrastructure Undertakings of the Republic of Bulgaria and the Republic of North Macedonia. The meeting discussed and specified only technical issues for the completion of the Deve Bair cross-border tunnel, as well as the need to select a single contractor for the entire facility.
The aim of the talks held in Sofia was to identify concrete measures and actions to accelerate the construction of Railway Corridor VIII and the actual completion of the railway connection between the two countries.
The Commission and the European financial institutions involved are aware of all the issues discussed at the meeting.
The Director General of the National Railway Infrastructure Company of the Republic of Bulgaria does not have the authority to negotiate or make political commitments.
The Bulgarian side once again clearly expresses its firm and unchanged position on the importance of Corridor VIII and its firm conviction of the need for its construction in the already established parameters.
From the subsequent announcements in the Republic of North Macedonia, it is once again clear that a technical meeting is being used for political messages.