The construction of Trans- European Transport Corridor 8 remains a priority for Bulgaria and Macedonia, it emerged during a meeting in Skopje between Deputy Transport, IT and Communications Minister Kamen Kichev and his Macedonian counterpart Tahir Hani, Kichev's ministry said.

Corridor 8 provides is among the fastest direct routes connecting South Europe and the Mediterranean to Caucasus, Central Asia and the Far East via the Balkans.

Deputy Minister Kichev familiarized his Macedonian counterpart with the railway and road projects that are underway on Bulgarian territory and voiced confidence that Macedonia will speed up projects along the strategic route.

"The project for construction of a railway link between Sofia and Skopje is of strategic importance in view of the connectivity of the two countries' railway systems and the construction of the entire railway stretch along Corridor 8," said Kichev. In his words, only a 2.5 km stretch on Bulgarian territory, between Gyueshevo and the border, remains to be completed.

Preparations by the Macedonian Transport Ministry of a feasibility study of the stretch between Kumanovo and Deve Bair are at an advanced stage. The Macedonian part were optimistic that the stretch will be finished in 5 years.

The Executive Director of the Bulgarian Air Traffic Services Authority, Diyan Dinev, familiarized the Macedonian side with a Bulgarian-Romanian project, DUNABE FAB, under the EU Single European Sky Programme. Dinev invited Macedonia to join the initiative.

On the agenda of the working meeting were the 3.5 million euro debt of the Macedonian railways to the Bulgarian railway carrierBDZ and the participation of Bulgarian companies in infrastructure projects in Macedonia.