We are actively working to improve transport connectivity between Bulgaria and Romania by building new bridges over the Danube, restoring ferry links and ensuring efficient shipping. This was stated by the Deputy Minister of Transport and Communications Dimitar Nedyalkov during a Bulgarian-Romanian conference "United Europe — a path to economic security and sustainable integration", held yesterday in Ruse.
"Together with Romania, we are working to improve the conditions for navigation on the Danube and to complete the joint FAST Danube project. We plan to purchase additional dredging equipment during the current programming period, which will expand the capacity to carry out ongoing maintenance of the waterway," the Deputy Minister said.
Dimitar Nedyalkov pointed out that together with Romania a project has been submitted for the preparation of a feasibility study for the construction of a second combined road and railway bridge over the Danube at Ruse-Giurgiu. It is envisaged that the bridge will be financed under the Connecting Europe Facility, Military Mobility Package. "The study will analyse the different alignments and the points from which the bridge will start in Ruse and Giurgiu respectively and will support the selection of a technical solution. In early 2024 it is expected to be known whether the project has been approved for funding. The time schedule envisages signing a contract with the EC by mid-2024 and implementation by the end of 2026," Deputy Minister Nedyalkov said.
He added that the third bridge over the common Bulgarian-Romanian section of the Danube is planned to be included in the so-called "core network" and the European transport corridor "Baltic Sea-Black Sea-Aegean Sea", with extension to Ukraine and Moldova. The corridor will provide a link between the three seas, becoming an instrument for the development of sustainable and multimodal freight and passenger transport flows.
During the conference the restoration of the Ruse-Giurgiu ferry line was also discussed. Bulgaria and Romania are working together on the implementation of this project, which will contribute to easing traffic at the Bulgarian-Romanian border and to overcoming the difficulties of cross-border transport of passengers and freight between the two countries.
Deputy Minister Dimitar Nedyalkov noted that Bulgaria is starting the implementation of the Ruse-Veliko Tarnovo motorway. The motorway is about 133 km long, divided into 3 sections: Ruse-Byala; Bypass of Byala; Byala-Veliko Tarnovo. At the end of 2022, contracts were signed with the selected contractors for design and construction and for construction supervision of the sections from Ruse to Byala and the Bypass of Byala. For the third section from the end of the Bypass of Byala to Veliko Tarnovo, procedures for selection of contractors for design and construction works and respectively for construction supervision are to be carried out.
With funding from the Recovery and Sustainability Facility, a project is also to be implemented: "Digitalisation of the TEN-T wide area network through implementation of ERTMS level 2 in the Ruse-Kaspichan railway section", which will support the modernisation of the railway infrastructure in the region by equipping it with modern train traffic management systems. Opportunities are also being sought to secure funding for the construction of an Intermodal Terminal in the area of the city of. Ruse.
