The project, financed by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), is being implemented by a consortium composed by EPTISA and Deutsche Bahn.
The Pan European Corridor VIII is the infrastructure axis connecting the Adriatic with the Black Sea, through Italy, Albania, the fYR of Macedonia, and Bulgaria. It spans over the South Eastern European area, where rail infrastructure is rather weak and where some crucial links are still missing, while the existing ones are insufficient. The Pan European Corridor VIII is thus a challenging project, requiring enormous resources and more international cooperation to develop its potential.
Within the fYR of Macedonia about 90 kilometres of the Rail Pan European Corridor VIII remains to be constructed in the eastern section, between Skopje and Bulgaria, and about 66 kilometres in the western link with Albania.
In order to facilitate the preparation of bankable projects that will eventually make possible the finalization of the missing sections, the EBRD has allocated 500,000 Euro for the preparation of a Feasibility Study and an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment study for the eastern section of the Corridor (sections Kumanovo – Beljakovce – Kriva Palanka – Deve Bair).
During the next eight months, a team of local and international experts from the partner companies will provide technical support to the Ministry of Transport and Communications in the preparation of rail traffic and revenue forecasts along this section of the Corridor for the next 20 years. The team will also assess the environmental and social impacts and will undertake the conceptual design for the proposed alignment.
For more information about this project, please contact EPTISA’s Regional Office for Southeast Europe at eptisasee@eptisa.com