Kyustendil municipal councilors insist on faster construction of Corridor № 8

The construction of the pan-European transport corridor number 8 and the motorway from Dupnitsa to the border crossing Gyueshevo should start as soon as possible, the municipal councillors from Kyustendil said on December 3. They expressed concerns that North Macedonia intends to redirect European funds, earmarked for Corridor No. 8, towards Transport Corridor No. 10, which passes through Serbia.

Despite discussions about Transport Corridor 8, which passes through Bulgaria, North Macedonia, and Albania, having been ongoing for 30 years, most of the part in Bulgaria remains in the initial phase, both for the road and rail sections. While neighbouring countries are making progress, Bulgaria is still in the stage of conceptual designs, far from actual construction.

Dimitar Velinov, Chairman of the Municipal Council - Kyustendil: "In Albania, the construction of the Corridor is progressing seriously, with the motorway between Tirana and Elbasan already built. In North Macedonia, we are all aware that construction is also progressing significantly."

The municipal councillors in the Kyustendil region are worried about the delay of the Corridor 8 projects and have issued a joint declaration which they will send to the President, the National Assembly, the Council of Ministers and other institutions.

Kostadin Kostadinov, Chairman of the Municipal Council - Dupnitsa: "We are still at the stage of conceptual projects, feasibility studies, and when will we get to the actual construction. There is a risk that the funds could be lost and redirected to other trans-European corridors.".

Dimitar Velinov, Chairman of the Municipal Council - Kyustendil: ""Our aim with this declaration is to encourage our government to work more diligently and actively toward starting the real construction activities."

The motorway from Dupnitsa to the border crossing of Gyueshevo will be 62 km long and will significantly facilitate traffic and the transport of goods between the countries. However, there is still a long way to go, including the selection of the route, environmental procedures, technical project development, and property expropriation.