Ministry of Transport, Information Technology and Communications

Bulgaria has the potential for investment in five priority road projects, four railway lines, four port terminals, one intermodal terminal and two civil airports. This is the first time provides the options for public-private partnerships and concessions. These options were presented in the framework of the "One belt, one road" initiative by the Minister of Transport, Information Technology and Communications Ivaylo Moskovski and the Minister of Regional Development and Public Works Lilyana Pavlova.

Both are part of the Bulgarian delegation led by the Prime Minister of Bulgaria Boyko Borissov to participate in the Fourth Meeting of Heads of Government of China and the countries of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). The event is being held during from 22 to 27 November 2015 in the cities of Shanghai, Suzhou and Beijing in the People's Republic of China.

Minister Ivaylo Moskovski presented the opportunities for investment in transport infrastructure development of our country. He placed an emphasis on the development of major railway routes and the process of concession of individual sites. The initiative took place within the Fifth trade and economic forum China and the CEE countries.

Minister Moskovski pinpointed four rail lines with good potential for investment in railway infrastructure. These are the restoration of the design parameters of the railway line Rousse-Varna with a length of 227 km and the indicative value of 383 million euros; modernization of the railway line Sofia-Pernik-Radomir as the line is divided into two routes, the main one beings Sofia Dragichevo-Pernik-Radomir with a length of 48.6 km, and the detour route is Voluyak-Pernik, which has a length of about 48.8 km, the indicative value being 360 million euros; modernization of the railway line Radomir-Gueshevo, the route is one-way and not electrified, and is divided into two sections - Radomir-Kyustendil, 54 km, and Kyustendil-Gyueshevo, 34 km, while the necessary funds amount to 556 million euros; modernization of the railway line Rousse-Dimitrovgrad, part of the TEN-T network connecting Northern and Southern Bulgaria, as the line is fully electrified, but there are specifics concerning the maximum speed for passenger and freight trains.

Minister Moskovski presented to the participants in the Forum the transport infrastructure sites that the Ministry of Transport, Information Technology and Communications is preparing for concession. The Minister paid special attention to the forthcoming award of concession analyzes on Varna railway station. MTITC’s concession plans include four port terminals – Vidin-center, Rousse-East, Rousse-West and Zimovnik-Rousse. Concession analyzes are to be adopted for the civil airports in Sofia and Plovdiv. Concerning the intermodal terminal in Plovdiv, the Minister pointed that concession analyzes are to be prepared in the short term.

Bulgaria, which is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia and Africa has set the ambitious task to complete its motorway ring. In September this year, the government approved a strategy for the development of road infrastructure and a mid-term operational plan for its implementation by 2022. It envisages the construction of over 600 km of new highways, modernization and new construction of more than 500 km of national roads and rehabilitation of approximately 20 thousand km of first, second and third class roads by 2020. This was presented to the Chinese investors by Minister of Regional Development and Public Works Lilyana Pavlova.

The government now seeks 1.5 billion euros for key roads that link the European transport corridors in Bulgaria. According to her the ambition of the government is to complete "Struma" highway and the section from Yablanitsa to Veliko Tarnovo of "Hemus" highway with European funding.

In order to have good transport connectivity in the country, Bulgaria will seek funding for the new highways: Hemus, Sofia - Vidin, Sofia - Kalotina, Rousse - Veliko Tarnovo - Svilengrad, Varna - Burgas and the tunnel under Shipka peak. These are the key projects identified in the Strategy to 2022.

A total of 10 billion euros will be needed to improve the infrastructure. The sum also includes funds for road maintenance as well as new programs on road safety.

Bulgaria, like the rest of the world, is operating in fiscal restraint. Therefore the need to optimize financing is crucial, said the Minister of Regional Development and Public Works Lilyana Pavlova.

Only two weeks ago the government decided to introduce a toll system in the country, told the investors Minister Pavlova. An investor will be sought for its construction. In six months the technical documentation will be prepared so as to announce the bid for contractors and operator of the toll system, which will be deployed for all national roads. In this way trucks and buses will pay per kilometer instead of paying a fee for vignettes for a specific period, not distance. Minister Pavlova explained that public-private partnership in the toll system means that whoever is awarded the contract will invest in its construction and will operate it. The profits will pay for the construction of the system. The Regional Minister hopes that the introduction of the toll system and the electronic vignette for cars can be implemented in 2017 - 2018 as there will be a selection procedure for the investor coming soon.

Minister Moskovski pointed out that throughout the years the relations between Bulgaria and China in the field of transport, as well as in the field of information technology and communications have developed in a fruitful way.

Bilateral relations between the Republic of Bulgaria and People's Republic of China are governed by several documents:

- Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Bulgaria and the Government of the People's Republic of China on Maritime Transport, signed on January 13, 2014, into force as of May 4, 2014

- In the field of Information Technology and Communications in 1998 an Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Bulgaria and the Government of China on cooperation in the field of Post and Telecommunications was signed; an Agreement between MTITC the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of China for cooperation in the field of Information Technology and Communications, signed in Sofia on June 24, 2011

- Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in the field of railway transport between the Ministry of Transport, Information Technology and Communications and the Ministry of Railways of the People's Republic of China, signed in 2010.