Ministry of Transport, Information Technology and Communications

The Minister of Transport, Information Technology and Communications Aleksandar Tsvetkov and the Minister of Trade and Services of Serbia Slobodan Milosavljevic signed the Final Protocol of the first session of the Intergovernmental Commission for Economic Cooperation.

The Protocol outlines tendencies and perspectives for development of the bilateral trade, said during the ceremony Aleksandar Tsvetkov. The priority areas are the development of the relations between partner institutions of both countries for encouragement of the export, the interaction between small and medium enterprises, branch chambers and chambers of commerce and industry, implementation of business forums.

During the preparation of the final document in the field of energy were discussed the building of a gas connection between Bulgaria and Serbia, the nuclear power station Belene and the possibly participation of Serbia in the project, as well as South Stream.

The two sides agreed to cooperate in coordination of their investments for modernization of the railway infrastructure, said minister Tsvetkov. The issue about the development of the multipurpose transport is defined as especially important. The Bulgarian side proposed to the Serbian side to take part in the project for multipurpose transport between Bulgaria and Turkey.

It was accounted a progress in the project for modernization and electrification of the railway line Nis-Dimitrovgrad. The Bulgarian request for amendment of the Agreement on border control and procedures in the railway traffic in connection with the Schengen code as well as approaches to settle the debt of the State Enterprise “Serbian Railways” to Holding Bulgarian State Railways EAD were discussed.

The two ministers accentuated on the growth of 54,9% of the trade for the first nine months of the last year. That defines the importance of both countries as foreign trade partners.