We must develop the two pan-European corridors in order to ensure the country’s economic progress and its political stability in the coming period, because nothing is guaranteed or set in stone amid the current complicated geopolitical developments, Macedonian Deputy PM and Transport Minister Aleksandar Nikoloski said Thursday at a panel discussion titled “Strategic Security and Stability: The EU and Macedonia in the New Geopolitical Reality,” organized by the Konrad Adenauer Foundation.
“Regionally, Macedonia borders the European Union to both the south and the east; we are surrounded by EU candidate countries, essentially, we are encircled by the European Union, so it is only natural that we seek to cooperate. 76% of Macedonia’s exports go to European Union member states, and 46% of our imports come from them; it is natural that we wish to leverage this connectivity. Macedonia possesses a unique geographical position, unmatched by any other nation in Southeast Europe, which is an asset we can and must utilize. That is why the development of these two corridors is a strategic policy of the Government,” said Nikoloski.
Speaking about the development of the corridors, he highlighted the investments being made in the road and rail networks.
“On Corridor X, with EU support, we are working on the modernization of the motorway. As part of the Growth Plan, five laws concerning Intelligent Transport Systems have been drafted, developed in collaboration with the Ministry of Transport, the Ministry of Local Self-Government, and the Ministry of Interior, and we will now proceed with their implementation. Furthermore, there is the reconstruction and upgrading of the railway corridor, which is intended to result in a high-speed line capable of supporting passenger speeds of 160 to 200 km/h and freight transport at 120 km/h,” noted Deputy PM Nikoloski.