The connectivity of the Balkans is important in order to meet the new challenges of the military conflict in Ukraine, the countries of the region can give solutions that are also applicable to Western Europe. This was stated by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport and Communications Hristo Alexiev during the Delphi Economic Forum, which is being held in Greece.
"The war triggered inflation, an energy crisis and social tensions, not only in the region, but throughout Europe. Some of the main logistics directions are changing, the Northern Corridor is practically no longer in operation. That's why we need to react very quickly, with more projects for regional cooperation in energy, transport and digital connectivity," the Deputy Prime Minister pointed out.
The initiatives should be suitable for attracting private investors as well, because we cannot rely only on public resources, he explained. According to him, in the field of transport, traffic should be directed from roads to railways. This is also the easiest way to follow the European Union's decarbonisation policy.
Hristo Alexiev also said that Bulgaria was working very actively to build the vertical connections in the North-South direction, in order to ensure the access of the countries of Northern Europe to the open sea and the ports in Northern Greece.
He pointed out the development of the so-called Middle corridor from China, Kazakhstan through the Black and Caspian Seas to Europe. Here, Bulgaria and Greece can cooperate very well to meet the incoming traffic along the Middle Corridor through the Sea2Sea project and the joint management of the Bulgarian Ports on the Black Sea and the Greek Ports on the Mediterranean Sea, the Deputy Prime Minister summarized.
During the discussion panel, the Advisor to the Greek Prime Minister on energy, climate, environment and circular economy issues George Kremlis stated that it was very important for Greece that Bulgaria joined Schengen. "We support you and we are working in this direction", he added.
