Bulgaria and North Macedonia have reaffirmed their commitment to continue the construction of Corridor VIII, including the Deve Bair cross-border tunnel, under the trans-European transport network (TEN-T) Regulation. The two countries agreed to maintain a regular dialogue and to reactivate the cooperation mechanisms set out in the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed in 2021. Bulgaria and North Macedonia plan to find a technical solution for the construction of the cross-border tunnel between the two countries in the near future. The project for the construction of the missing link from Gjuesevo station to the entrance of the Deve Bair tunnel is planned for funding under the Transport Connectivity Programme and should be completed by 2030 at the latest. Construction can begin in 2026, once all the procedures have been completed. Corridor VIII connects Bulgaria with North Macedonia, Albania, and Italy, and is part of the European transport corridor Western Balkans – Eastern Mediterranean.
