Central Railway Station Plovdiv is another good example of management of transport sites through public-private partnerships, Minister of Transport, Information Technology and Communications Ivaylo Moskovski said today during the opening of the renovated railway station building. The event was also attended by Minister of Interior Valentin Radev, Mayor of Plovdiv Ivan Totev, Governor Zdravko Dimitrov, Director General of NRC Krassimir Papukchiyski and others. Ivaylo Moskovski informed that the concessionaire has invested BGN 7 million so far and, according to the program, he has to invest another BGN 5 million in the modernization of the station and the adjacent infrastructure around it.
Minister Moskovski handed over the license for the bus terminal that the concessionaire has built as part of the station complex. This transforms the renovated building into a multimodal center, combining bus and rail transport, the Concessionaire representative Miroljub Stolarski commented. He also said that this is the first place in Bulgaria where the two modes of transport do not compete but complement each other.
"I am extremely impressed with the restoration of the railway station, as it is also a monument of culture. It has been built by Viennese architects in the early 20th century. The whole construction, the roof and the Tsar's waiting room in the railway station building are preserved and restored", added the Minister. Moskovski pointed out that the central railway station in European countries is an emblematic building and a cultural and historical monument.
The Minister also commented in front of the media on the project for the construction of Plovdiv railway junction. He pointed out that the first stage of the project is in the final stage of implementation and the tender procedures will be announced soon. "The project is worth more than EUR 100 million and envisages complete lifting of the railway tracks of Plovdiv railway station and a road passage under them", the Minister explained. Ivaylo Moskovski commented on the forthcoming concession of Plovdiv airport. According to him, a decision of the Commission for Protection of Competition is expected within one month, after which the contract with the selected contractor will be signed.
Regarding the Mobility Package and the forthcoming protests of the road hauliers Minister Moskovski explained that the position of the state was firm and categorical from the very beginning and currently has unprecedented support from all state institutions in defense of the Bulgarian hauliers. "Prime Minister Boyko Borissov, who is personally engaged in the topic, held the necessary talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron yesterday and will have another conversation tomorrow with the French President on the subject", Ivaylo Moskovski commented. He also said that Commissioner for Transport Violeta Bulc will arrived in Bulgaria on Monday and the three with Prime Minister Borissov will talk about European mobility legislation.
The Ministers Moskovski and Radev inspected witnin their visit to Plovdiv the extension of the Plovdiv - Assenovgrad road. The project was launched in August 2017 and is expected to be completed by the end of the year.
