Ministry of Transport, Information Technology and Communications

The main priority in the Ministry of Transport, Information Technology and Communications is to achieve full interoperability in the railway sector, stated Minister Ivaylo Moskovski during the official opening of the "Intelligent communications infrastructure" laboratory in Sofia Tech Park.

Minister Moskovski noted that all railway sections that are currently being modernized are equipped with the European railway traffic management system (ERTMS). He added that investment ambitions of BDZ are to launch next year a procedure for purchasing of new rolling stock which to be operated in the modernized sections.

The laboratory is composed of two separate units, which will develop and operate in two areas of research and innovation - "Management of Railway Transport" and "Cooperative smart grids and the Internet of Things."

The ERTMS-unit will do research, development, testing of components and devices, offering of solutions for maintenance, validation of devices, modeling and simulation of devices and systems as well as training of personnel. In addition, it will explore and analyze the processes of configuring of train onboard equipment and its communication with the rail infrastructure which will allow to improve the management of the trains.

Minister Ivaylo Moskovski considered additional advantage the fact that Bulgarian companies producing equipment for control, management and signaling systems for both rail infrastructure and rolling stock will now be able to certify it in Bulgaria.

The ceremony was attended by the Minister-President of the Federation Wallonia-Brussels of Belgium Rudy Demotte, the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Belgium H.E. Anick Van Calster, Deputy Minister of Economy Lyuben Petrov, the rector of the Technical University of Sofia prof. Georgi Mihov and other officials.