“Tell Bulgaria that it has not fulfilled its commitment connected with the infrastructure leading up to the border check points Deve Bair (at Kyustendil) and Klepalo (at Strumyani),” the Prime Minister of North Macedonia Dimitar Kovačevski said to the EU’s ambassador to North Macedonia David Geer at the opening of the 13-kilometre Kriva Palanka – Deve Bair road after rehabilitation. PM Kovačevski pointed out that the rehabilitation of the road from Kyustendil to the border was agreed on, with former Bulgarian Prime Minister Kiril Petkov, on his very first day as prime minister of North Macedonia. “At the time we agreed to have this road section repaired and to add a third lane,” Dimitar Kovačevski said, and promised the rehabilitation of the road to Stracin will continue, adding that work is underway to build a speedway from Rankovce to Kriva Palanka.

EUR 12.2 million has been granted by the EU for the rehabilitation and widening of the Kriva Palanka – Deve Bair road, as part of the EU grant for the construction of Corridor No. 8.