The EU announces priority investment in Albanian railways, part of the main European network

2024-11-02 16:03:00, Aktualitet CNA

The EU announces priority investment in Albanian railways, part of the main

Two Albanian railway lines Durrës-Hani i Hoti and Rrogozhine - North Macedonia were declared part of the important European Railway Transport Network.

The investment framework for the Western Balkans recently published the new map of the main transport network in Europe (European Transport Corridors The TEN-T policy is based on Regulation (EU) 2024/1679)", where the two segments are considered high priority important railway in our country, one that accompanies Corridor VIII from Durrës to North Macedonia and the other that accompanies the North-South Corridor from Durrës to Hani e Hoti.

As seen in the attached map that was published these days, the Albanian railway projects are part of the EU's priorities as part of the main transport lines. As a result, the EU and development banks are the main financiers of these projects.

The completion of the road infrastructure in both Corridors is being carried out by the Albanian government, which has committed to financing the segments of the European Corridors that pass through Albania.

In recent days, about 150 million euros were tendered for the segments of Corridor 8, while the other segments of the North-South corridor are also in the tendering and construction process.

The EU announces priority investment in Albanian railways, part of the main

According to the EU Investment Framework for the Western Balkans, the rehabilitation of the railway, Vorë - Hani i Hoti, has a cost of around 340 million euros, for a length of 120 km, with the aim of finishing in 2027.

The railway line of Corridor VIII in the Albanian part is over 150 kilometers from Durrës in North Macedonia. Funding has been found for the first 33 kilometers from Durrës to Rrogozhinë.

Rail Corridor VIII forms the internal east-west link between the Black Sea and the Ionian Sea, passing through Bulgaria, North Macedonia and Albania.

With the financial assistance of the EU for the preparation of projects and the co-financing of investments according to the economic and investment plan, North Macedonia and Albania are improving the existing lines and building the missing links along the corridor and to remove obstacles.

Investments in rail transport are being further encouraged by banks and governments and are more likely to receive funding as part of global efforts to mitigate climate impacts towards the green economy.

Despite the EU's efforts to advance projects in the Balkans, related to Europe's main networks, internal problems with expropriations and the implementation of projects are causing delays in their completion./ Monitor.al