European institutions tend to set ambitious goals and launch grand projects with the idea of creating a harmonised union, even when it comes to transport. However, reality hits when these goals and projects need to be concretely carried out. One of the most recent examples is the construction of a cross-border railway between Bulgaria and North Macedonia, part of the so-called Pan-European Corridor VIII.
The line in question would cross the border between Kriva Palanka (NK) and Gyueshevo (BG). However, it seems that North Macedonia does not consider this project as a priority. According to the Bulgarian ministry of transport and communications, “there has been no response from the Republic of North Macedonia on the Draft Agreement for more than three months”.
Corridor VIII
Corridor VIII is a vital artery in Eastern Europe, connecting the Adriatic Sea and the Black Sea. Running from the port of Durres in Albania to the port of Varna in Bulgaria, it is also important for NATO and military mobility as the Bulgarian ministry highlighted. On its part, Bulgaria claims it has already invested over two billion euros for the rail section of the corridor and said it will continue construction up until the border.
What North Macedonia will do, on the other hand, remains somewhat of a mystery. Currently, the rail part of Corridor VIII in the country is not connected to Albania either. The existing infrastructure runs from Kičevo, about 50 kilometres from the Albanian border, to Kumanovo, roughly 70 kilometres from the Bulgarian border. If there is at least a plan for the railway to Bulgaria, the same cannot be said for the one going to Albania.
The cross-border problem
The Kriva Palanka-Gyueshevo border crossing is not the only one creating controversies. For instance, France and Spain do not seem to be on the same page when it comes to creating a railway connecting the two countries through the Pyrenees mountains. Spain is pushing for the reopening of the Pau-Canfranc line, closed since the 1970s. France did not seem to be too interested in the initiative, but things have changed towards the end of last year.
Another example is the Emmerich-Oberhausen line in Germany, which leads to the border with the Netherlands and is getting a third track. In this case, the two countries were at odds about the planned closures of the section throughout the construction period. Another cross-border initiative often present in public debate is Rail Baltica, a project supposed to link the three Baltic countries with a standard gauge connection.
All these projects highlight how the European landscape is more fragmented than institutions would like, at least concerning the harmonisation of transport infrastructure. In many cases, including some of the ones mentioned above, member states still put national interests ahead of European ones. A question thus arises: How can EU countries appear united to the eyes of the rest of the world if they can rarely agree with each other?