With an EBRD loan, electric locomotives will be procured for ŽRSM Transport
Skopje – “Railways of the Republic of North Macedonia – Transport” and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) signed a loan agreement in the amount of 20.9 million euros intended for the procurement of electric locomotives with spare parts, with the aim of enabling greater transport of goods and generating revenue for the enterprise.
As was stated before the signing, the project is an important step towards the modernization of ZRSM Transport, as well as towards improving the safety and efficiency of freight rail traffic.
– Today we are talking about something that has been neglected for decades, yet is of essential importance for the economy, exports and the European future of Macedonia, and that is the railway. The situation we inherited was catastrophic… The average age of diesel locomotives is over 60 years, and of electric ones over 40 years. This is not sustainable, neither economically nor in terms of safety, nor environmentally. Therefore, the goal of this procurement is clear – to increase the number of locomotives and the capacity for the transport of goods and thereby to increase revenues and financial stability, emphasized Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski, according to whom this is a systemic renewal of the railway sector.
According to Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport Aleksandar Nikoloski and Minister of Finance Gordana Dimitrieska-Kochoska, the signing of the Agreement is a key step for the complete transformation of ZRSM Transport into a modern enterprise that will respond to the needs of its clients.
– Today we have the opportunity to complete an extremely important process that will mean the procurement of at least five new electric locomotives, together with accompanying spare parts. This is truly a big step forward for Railways for Transport – both in the area of cargo transport and in passenger traffic… At the same time, this investment is also part of the broader vision for Skopje – improving air quality through the introduction of the city train, said Nikoloski.
Minister Dimitrieska-Kochoska emphasized that the Loan Agreement is the result of intensive and constructive negotiations and represents confirmation of the trust that international financial institutions have in our policies and in the direction in which the country is moving.
The Head of the EBRD Office, Fatih Turkmenoglu, assessed the Agreement as a significant milestone in the progress of the transport sector in Macedonia.
– Today we mark a vital investment that will support the renewal of the railway fleet operated by the Macedonian railway transport company. This financing will enable North Macedonia to procure up to five new electric locomotives and to implement an enterprise resource planning system. These improvements represent much more than technical upgrades. They are strategic investments designed to improve the efficiency, quality and safety of freight rail operations and will contribute to reducing CO₂ emissions and will play a key role in supporting the country’s ongoing green transition, Turkmenoglu stressed. (30 December 2025)
