Balgarianovinite.com Work is proceeding according to schedule for the Strumyani–Berovo border checkpoint between Bulgaria and North Macedonia to be completed by 2029, Deputy Regional Development and Public Works Minister Desislava Georgieva said on Thursday. She was speaking at a press conference in Blagoevgrad on the project for the construction of the new border checkpoint, also known as Klepalo.
Georgieva described the project, co-financed under the Interreg VI-A Bulgaria–North Macedonia Programme, as strategic, noting that it accounts for nearly 30% of the programme’s resources.
“We are directing EUR 11 million towards this strategic investment, but the project is also important for the people in the region and for bringing communities on both sides of the border even closer together,” Georgieva said. She added that the checkpoint would create opportunities for added value and tourism development.
Georgieva said that the environmental procedures for the checkpoint were approved in April. This allows construction to begin on the facility, the related infrastructure and the III-1008 access road from Strumyani to the border. The contracting authorities are the Blagoevgrad Regional Administration and the Road Infrastructure Agency.
She said additional sources of financing were also being sought for the road connection, as funding is currently expected to come from the state budget.
Route Option 1 has been approved. It provides for a shorter crossing, a smaller volume of construction work and a limited environmental impact, in line with nature protection requirements in the Kresna–Ilindentsi protected area of the Natura 2000 network, where part of the project is located, the Regional Development Ministry said after the press conference.
The Ministry said the Strumyani–Berovo border checkpoint would provide a link between international transport corridors 4 and 8.
The project envisages service buildings on both the Bulgarian and North Macedonian sides for passenger vehicles and freight vehicles weighing up to 3.5 tonnes. The checkpoint will operate around the clock, seven days a week. The future site covers 11 decares at an altitude of 1,300 metres on a steep slope, making its construction a challenge for the contractors.
The lead partner is the Blagoevgrad Regional Administration, designated as beneficiary by a decision of the Bulgarian Council of Ministers, while North Macedonia’s Customs Administration is the project partner on the North Macedonian side.
The Ministry also said that the Bulgaria–North Macedonia cross-border cooperation programme was progressing at an excellent pace. Following contracts signed over the past month, 108% of the programme’s available funding has now been contracted.
The amount exceeds EUR 29 million and, in addition to the border checkpoint, is being invested in urban green infrastructure and support for small and medium-sized enterprises. More than 22% of the funding, or over EUR 6 million, has already been paid out. The Ministry said it was relying on all beneficiaries to mobilize their efforts to ensure the successful implementation of the programme. Strumyani-Berovo Border Crossing Expected to Be Completed by 2029, Deputy Regional Development Minister Says 2026 THE NEWS FROM BULGARIA – NEWS AGENCY 2009-2025 2026-07-23 17:23:51 Latest news World news Country news Most important news latest news most important latest of the day Justice Petar Nizamov Feathers Petar Nizamov- Feathers Justice bg iustitia.bg iustitia iusticia usticia investigation Burgas Bulgaria news news of the last hour news of the day news of today Bulgaria news The news from Bulgaria blitz news top news most important most commented latest news Boyko Borisov news weather coronavirus news news weather facebook youtube facebook instagram news today news of the last minutes news today today news news bg news leading news hot news bg news site for news all news news bg news of the last hour latest latest news bg news of today news today news today news of the last hour latest news today news bg news news 24 hours news vesti bg novini news world bird bg bivol bg bivol trud bg novini latest news today novinite bg news hello bulgaria political party coat of arms delyan peevski scandalous Bulgarian National Television Free Europe Television scandal exclusive live tv live right now tv tv online tv program bg live now tv news online tv online live court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas district court Burgas appellate court Burgas prosecutor Burgas prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Prosecutor General Ivan Geshev Prosecutor Geshev Tsatsarov Ministry of Internal Affairs Burgas ODMR Burgas ODPR Burgas police Burgas district police Burgas prosecutor Tsatsarov SGS cases Varna court chairman of the SGS court decisions on civil cases decisions on cases Plovdiv court decision of the court decisions cases Varna court criminal cases district district court decisions work in the court SGS chairman of the SGS judges Sofia court post judges Plovdiv court Plovdiv judges Plovdiv Supreme Court Inspectorate Supreme Court Supreme Judicial Council lawyer lawyer criminal cases lawyer civil cases lawyer marriage cases lawyer administrative criminal law criminal process civil law civil process administrative law constitutional law