Albania, Bulgaria pledge to advance cooperation on infrastructure construction

Albania and Bulgaria will maximize efforts to push forward the Corridor 8 project, which will in turn attract more foreign investors, Albanian Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Edmond Haxhinasto and his Bulgarian counterpart Ivaylo Moskovski said Thursday.

Addressing a joint press conference during Moskovski's official visit, Haxhinasto said the leaders discussed a number of joint projects and how to further advance bilateral relations.

He added: "We discussed how to take concrete measures in support of the Corridor 8 project. We also agreed to continue coordinating so that infrastructure links can be made to boost investment."

Moskovski agreed, saying: "The time has come to realize this joint project, which will be of regional and European importance. We will have to accelerate our joint meetings with all participating countries and make efforts with Brussels on the project model."

The 10 pan-European transport corridors were defined at the pan-European transport conference in Crete in March 1994. The routes cover Central and Eastern Europe and require major investment over the next 10 to 15 years.

The corridors variously encompass road, rail and waterway routes. Corridor 8 is meant to link Durres in Albania to the Adriatic coast to Varna at the Bulgarian Black Sea coast. Endit