Ministry of Transport, Information Technology and Communications

On September 10^th the Minister of Transport, Information Technology and Communications Aleksandar Tsvetkov presented the priorities of the MTITC and his team to the Parliamentary Commission on Transport, Information Technology and Communications.

The transport minister informed the deputies about the anti-crisis plan in relation to the whole transport sector.

Acceleration of the policy in order to recover the companies is being expected in the field of railway transport. Sale of non-operating assets is foreseen, as well as land renting, reducing of operational costs and searching for additional income sources.

In the field of automobile transport measures are being developed against the grey economy, elimination of the unfair competition and improvement of the competition environment. Minister Tsvetkov reported also that workgroups have been appointed to prepare the changes in the legislation and the regulation base.

Freezing of the passengers fees is planed in the air transport as anti-crisis measure, as well as a decrease of the fees for airplanes parking lots.  The Bulgarian airports will be brought to the requirements of the Schengen agreements. Minister Tsvetkov has pledged that MTITC works to optimize the reduction of the airport charges.

Flexible transport policy is being developed in the maritime branch with the regulation of the tariffs for freight processing and the public private partnership for the development of the port infrastructure. One of the main tasks in this sector is the development of the navigation in the black Sea and Danube River.

Part of the discussed priorities of MTITC was also the Highway "Trachia" and the highway "Maritsa". The transport minister declared that the financing will be provided by the European Investment Bank, and in the next week, the schedule for the start of the procedures will be also completed. The European Investment bank is expected to provide the money also for other road projects on OP "Transport".

The Bulgarian government seeks to remain in the management and to keep the golden share in the BTC. It had to be returned by the state to the majority owner of the company but this did not happened because of the non-execution of the contract from side of the purchaser. The Deputy Minister Parvan Russinov reported that a workgroup has been created in the MTITC for examination all legal possibilities and after a precise analysis it will decide whether to give back the golden share or to refuse the return. The final opinion on the case will be ready by the end of next week.

For additional information:
Gergana Grozdeva, Press Centre,
Ministry of Transport, Information Technology
and Communications
Phone: 940 96 25
E-Mail: ggrozdeva@mtitc.government.bg