Bulgaria supports the creation of clear rules for the rapid deployment of gigabit networks, to reduce construction costs and administrative burdens. This was stated by Deputy Minister of Transport and Communications Grigori Grigorov during a meeting of the EU Council, format ‘Telecommunications’. He said this will contribute to the implementation of high-speed connectivity projects that are enshrined in the National Recovery and Sustainability Plan. ‘In this regard, the proposals of the European Parliament to stimulate investments of telecom operators are important, including the idea of easing the construction regime for some elements of the networks,’ Grigori Grigorov said in the framework of the debate on the Gigabit Infrastructure Act.
The Bulgarian side proposes to carry out at EU level a passporting of the current submarine cable connectivity, the deputy minister said. The assessment should be made in terms of the timing of their initial deployment, services currently provided, availability of spare capacity, etc. ‘The aim is to facilitate the construction of new and upgrading of existing submarine cables, to identify international contracts that need updating and to clarify market conditions for telecom operators and content providers,’ the Bulgarian representative explained. He added that it is necessary to prioritise the financing of projects for the replacement of obsolete cables of strategic interest to the EU in the Black Sea area.
During the forum in Brussels, Deputy Minister Grigorov also held meetings with representatives of the European Commission in connection with the restructuring plan of Bulgarian Posts EAD, whose consideration is in an advanced stage. The importance of the strategy document for the financial stabilization of the company and the development of its commercial services was emphasized. Initial discussions were also started on the upcoming notifications of state aid for services of general economic interest provided by Bulgarian Posts EAD.
