Ministry of Transport, Information Technology and Communications

The Accelerated development of Corridor VIII, which is again part of the EC priorities, will be the main subject of the talks during the visit of the Minister of Transport Peter Mutafchiev in the Republic of Albania and the Republic of Macedonia.

In the capital city of Albania the minister will make on official visit from September 26^th till 27^th, 2007 on the invitation of the Minister of Transport and Telecommunications of the Republic of Albania - Sokol Oldashi.

During the talks Peter Mutafchiev and Sokol Oldashi will discuss the national strategies of Bulgaria and Albania regarding the building of Corridor VIII. A Declaration for an accelerated building of the Corridor and Protocol for creation of workgroups, aiming to facilitate and accelerate the priority projects of the two countries will be signed. One of the topics will be also the Italian Initiative for common high level coordinator for accelerated building of the projects on Corridor VIII, part of the Joint Declaration of the transport ministers of the countries which partake in it.

The Declaration was signed in Plovdiv by the ministers of the countries on Corridor VIII on March 8^th, 2007. Minister Mutafchiev and Oldashi will comment also the possibilities, and the perspectives for training of Albanian Students in Bulgarian transport high schools and academies, and last but not least the widening of the bilateral cooperation in the field of EU integration and the sharing of Bulgarian experience in this area.

The Bulgarian delegation will visit Durres, which is part of Corridor VIII and will discuss with the Albanian delegation the development of the cooperation in the field of the port activities between the two countries.

In Tirana Minister Mutafchiev will have meetings with the President of the Republic Branimir Topi, the Premier Minister Sali Berisha and the Head of the Parliament Josephina Toli.

After that the Minister of Transport and the delegation will depart for a work visit in the Republic of Macedonia on September 28^th and 29^th, 2007.

In Ohrid Minister Peter Mutafchiev will have an informal meeting with his Macedonian Colleague Mile Janakievski and will acquaint him with the results of the visit in Albania, also concrete measures will be traced in order to accelerate the building of the Projects on Corridor VIII.

The Bulgarian transport minister will make a presentation of the project for the connection of the railway lines between the two countries; he will also demonstrate a joined video clip on the project. Both will be presented in the EU Council of Transport Ministers on November 30^th, 2007, aiming to ensure the financing of the projects.    

For additional information:
Vera Deianova, Press Centre,
Ministry of Transport
Phone: 940 95 34
E-Mail: vdeianova@mt.government.bg