Veles–Bitola on Electric Power: Nikoloski Announces 9 New Trains and 5 Locomotives, but the IPA 3 Money Still Awaits the EU — and No Price Was Given
On October 16 Deputy Prime Minister Nikoloski said the Veles–Bitola railway will be rebuilt, upgraded and electrified with IPA 3 funds, with rolling stock expected within 2–3 years.
Deputy Prime Minister and Transport Minister Aleksandar Nikoloski said in an interview on Kanal 5 on October 16 that the Veles–Bitola railway will be rebuilt, upgraded and electrified with IPA 3 funds, the EU’s pre-accession assistance program. He called electrification a priority because the line is electrified only up to Veles, after which diesel locomotives are used; he argued it is “both cheaper and better for the environment.”
The rolling stock: at least 5 electric locomotives, agreed with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), and 5–7 train sets, with a World Bank agreement that is, in his words, near final. The state carrier MZ Transport is to buy about two more sets from its own funds next year. In total, the minister expects 9 new trains and 5 new locomotives within 2–3 years.
Money and deadlines are uncertain. The EU is expected to adopt the IPA 3 funds by the end of 2026, and Nikoloski said the project should be “operational” from January 1; it is not clarified what exactly that means, since a tender, contractor selection and construction are still to come. The length of the section, the total value and the IPA 3 amount have not been published. Until the EU adopts it, “electric trains to Bitola” is a plan, not an agreed project.
MKNews Hub · Macedonia · October 17, 2026
