According to Serbian Economist, North Macedonia plans to build a high-speed railway from the border with Serbia to the border with Greece by 2031, which should integrate the country into the new Athens–Thessaloniki–Skopje–Belgrade–Budapest–Vienna transport corridor. The project is of direct importance to Serbia, as its effectiveness depends on the modernization of the Serbian sections between Belgrade and Niš and the future Niš–Skopje route.
North Macedonia’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport, Aleksandar Nikolovski, stated in an interview with MIA that Skopje plans to build a line “from border to border,” that is, from the border with Serbia to the border with Greece.
This involves the development of Railway Corridor 10, which is intended to connect Greek ports and North Macedonia with Serbia, Hungary, Austria, and onward to Central Europe. Nikoloski stated that the goal of the project is to build a high-speed railway from Athens through Thessaloniki and Skopje northward to Belgrade, Budapest, and Vienna, which will “completely transform the structure of the economy and business” in the region.
According to the North Macedonian Ministry of Transport, the project is set to become one of the largest infrastructure projects in Southeast Europe. Nikoloski previously stated that passenger trains on the future line should travel at speeds of up to 250 km/h, and freight trains at up to 140 km/h, with 750-meter-long freight trains compliant with European standards being a key feature.
The cost of the Macedonian section is estimated at approximately EUR2 billion.
The project is currently in the preparatory stage. According to Nikoloski, the most suitable route has been selected from several options, and planning, geotechnical studies, and an environmental impact assessment are currently underway. The new route is expected to be approximately 35 km shorter than the existing one, which is particularly important for freight transit between Greek ports and Central Europe.
The Serbian component is key to the entire scheme. If North Macedonia connects its borders with Greece and Serbia but the Serbian section is not modernized, the project’s impact will be limited.
Therefore, Belgrade–Niš–Skopje is becoming the central missing link in the vertical transport corridor from the Aegean Sea to Central Europe.
Serbia is already modernizing the Belgrade–Niš railway. The EUR 2.2 billion financial package from the EU, EIB, and EBRD provides for the upgrade of the line to allow trains to travel at speeds of up to 200 km/h. The package includes an EU grant of up to EUR 598 million, an EIB loan of EUR 1.1 billion, and an EBRD loan of EUR 550 million.
In the northern part of the route, the Belgrade–Budapest section is already under development. The Serbian section of the Belgrade–Novi Sad line was opened earlier, and the further connection to Hungary is set to become part of the broader Budapest–Belgrade–Skopje–Athens corridor. However, the launch of service along the entire line to Budapest depends on the readiness of the Hungarian section and technical certification.
For Serbia, the new Macedonian project opens up an important economic prospect. If the entire Athens/Piraeus–Thessaloniki–Skopje–Niš–Belgrade–Budapest–Vienna corridor is modernized, Serbia could strengthen its role as a transit and logistics hub between Europe’s southern ports and Central European markets.
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According to Serbian Economist, the Serbian company Trayal from Krusevac plans to open a production facility in the municipality of Rudo in the Republic of Srpska (Bosnia and Herzegovina), where rocket fuel production will be located, the Rudo municipal administration reported following an informational meeting between company representatives and local residents.
According to the Rudo municipality, Trayal representatives held a meeting on May 19, during which they presented the terms of future operations and plans to launch the company’s division in this municipality. Rudo authorities had previously invited interested citizens to attend a meeting dedicated to the launch of production and new jobs.
According to the local administration, prospective employees will first have to undergo a detailed medical examination, after which they will receive paid training in Kruševac or Belgrade.
Company representatives emphasized that the work will require a high level of responsibility and concentration, as the facility will handle flammable and sensitive materials.
Production is to be located on the site of the former Yugoslav People’s Army barracks in Rudo. According to BiznisInfo, Trayal has been collaborating with the Rudo community for several years and uses part of the former barracks, where eight people are currently employed.
For Rudo, the project is significant primarily as a source of new jobs and industrial activity in a small community in eastern Bosnia and Herzegovina. For Trayal, this means expanding its manufacturing presence beyond Serbia and strengthening the company’s regional role in the specialty chemical and defense industries.
Trayal korporacija a.d. is a company based in Krusevac that manufactures rubber, chemical, and protective products. In official documents from the State Audit Institution of Serbia, the company is listed as a manufacturer of rubber and chemical products.
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According to Serbian Economist, the event will take place at Porto Montenegro, and city authorities are already preparing temporary traffic restrictions, changes to access procedures, and enhanced security measures.
Montenegrin President Jakov Milatović and European Council President António Costa have sent joint invitations to the leaders of EU countries and Western Balkan states. The summit is set to bring together European leaders at a time when enlargement policy is once again high on the EU’s agenda.
The summit is expected to be attended by European Union member states and six Western Balkan countries: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia. These six economies are traditionally part of the EU-Western Balkans format, which is used to discuss the region’s European integration, reforms, security, infrastructure, energy, and economic convergence with the EU.
Earlier, local authorities reported the arrival of over 30 European delegations, though the final number may be higher when accounting for representatives of EU institutions, EU member states, countries in the region, and accompanying teams.
For Montenegro, hosting the summit is of particular significance. Milatović called it a historic moment, as the country is hosting such a major meeting between the European Union and the Western Balkans for the first time.
Tivat will operate under special arrangements in connection with the forum. On June 4–5, the city expects temporary traffic restrictions, heightened security measures, and changes to access in the Porto Montenegro area, where the summit will take place. Short-term road closures are possible, primarily on the route from Tivat Airport to the city center, as well as special traffic arrangements on Arsenalska and Istarska Streets.
Some parking lots will be temporarily closed, and Tivat Airport will adjust its operations to accommodate the international forum. Authorities are also considering changes to school schedules on June 4–5 and are preparing a cultural program for residents and visitors on the city waterfront on June 4.
The main political theme of the summit is the European perspective for the Western Balkans. Against the backdrop of the war in Ukraine, intensifying geopolitical competition, and the EU’s desire to accelerate expansion, the region has once again found itself in the spotlight in Brussels. Montenegro and Albania are considered the most advanced candidates for EU accession, while Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, and North Macedonia face more complex political and institutional dynamics.
For the region’s economy, the summit is important not only as a political meeting. The focus is expected to be on infrastructure connectivity, access to European funds, energy security, a common regional market, transport corridors, and investments.
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Serbia hopes that Ukraine will confirm its participation in the specialized exhibition Expo 2027 Belgrade following the visit of a Ukrainian government-business delegation to Serbia, said Marko Čadež, President of the Serbian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
“The invitation is open, and we respect the motives of each individual country, but we sincerely hope that following the visit of the Ukrainian government-business delegation to Serbia, Ukraine will become the next, 138th country to confirm its participation in Expo 2027 Belgrade,” he said in an interview with Interfax-Ukraine.
According to Chadezh, participation in the exhibition would be beneficial for the Ukrainian economy, as it opens opportunities to showcase the potential of Ukrainian companies and technological capabilities, strengthen bilateral government and business relations, and foster contacts with international partners.
“EXPO 2027 will be not only an exhibition but also a global platform for bringing together countries, companies, investors, and new ideas for development. Therefore, I believe that Ukraine’s presence would be important, especially in the context of the country’s recovery, attracting investment, and establishing new partnerships with the international business community,” emphasized the president of the Serbian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Serbia has the potential to become a key logistics and industrial hub between Ukraine, the markets of the Western Balkans, and the European Union, said Marko Čadež, President of the Serbian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
“By using the Danube route from the ports of Izmail and Reni toward Serbian ports and intermodal terminals, goods from Ukraine can be efficiently redirected to Corridor X and the markets of Central Europe and the Adriatic region,” he said in an interview with the agency “Interfax-Ukraine.”
According to Čadež, the development of intermodal logistics and free zones gives Serbia the opportunity to be not only a transit point but also a place where new value can be added to Ukrainian raw materials and semi-finished products before they enter regional and European markets.
“Serbia positions itself as an important geo-economic center of the region, at the intersection of Eastern European resources and European transport corridors,” emphasized the president of the Serbian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
He also noted that Serbia could serve as a production and technology base for Ukrainian companies seeking to enter the markets of the Western Balkans, the EU, Asia, and Africa.
BALKANS, Čadež, EU, HUB, SERBIA, Serbian Chamber of Commerce and Industry
According to Serbian Economist, trade turnover between Serbia and Ukraine in 2025 returned to the level of the last pre-war year, 2021, and amounted to $442.2 million, said Marko Čadež, president of the Serbian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, in an interview with the Interfax-Ukraine agency.
According to him, despite the initial shock following the outbreak of the war, mutual trade did not cease. In the first year of the war, it fell by 25%—to $339 million—but then began to gradually recover and can now be considered stable.
Serbian exports to Ukraine in 2025 amounted to $202.9 million, while imports from Ukraine totaled $239.3 million. About 900 Serbian companies continue to do business with Ukraine, 670 of which import Ukrainian goods.
“In the first quarter of this year, the growth trend continued—Serbian exports to Ukraine doubled compared to the same period last year, while Ukrainian exports to Serbia grew by 4.5%,” said Čadež.
The president of the Serbian Chamber of Commerce and Industry noted that the pandemic, followed by the war, demonstrated the high interdependence of the two economies. This is particularly true for supplies of Ukrainian raw materials and intermediate products for Serbian industry. According to Čadež, prior to the war, such supplies accounted for about 70% of Serbian imports from Ukraine.
Among the key Ukrainian goods for Serbia, he cited iron ore, coal, aluminum wire, and cellulose. Supply disruptions after February 2022 created problems for a number of Serbian industries, particularly metallurgy.
Serbian-Ukrainian trade continues to be dominated by raw materials, industrial products, and goods for the processing industry. Ukraine purchases mineral and chemical fertilizers, PVC flooring, paper and cardboard, automobile tires, as well as detergents and cleaning products from Serbia.
