Starting this project today, we continue the development of the Public Access Zone of Port of Burgas and once again, we confirm our commitments as a government to opening Burgas out to the sea. This was announced by the Minister of Transport, Information Technology and Communications, Ivaylo Moskovski during the launch of a project for the construction of a Congress and Research Center at the port of Burgas. Deputy Prime Minister Valeri Simeonov, the Mayor of Burgas Municipality, Dimitar Nikolov and the Director General of Bulgarian Ports Infrastructure Company (BPI Co.), Angel Zaburtov, attended the event.
"The new multifunctional building will allow Burgas to develop congress tourism, in addition to all the other tourist opportunities of the city," minister Moskovski said. In his words, with the construction of the traffic-tower, the Sea Station and the Magazia 1 for the last few years, the port has become a stop for some of the largest cruise companies in the Black Sea, and this is a proof of the investments value. "Together with Burgas Municipality, we continue to work towards making the city even more visited destination for the cruise ships," said Ivaylo Moskovski.
The project’s value for the construction of Congress and Research Center is BGN 13.6 million and will be financed by Bulgarian Ports Infrastructure Company’s funds. Contractor of the construction activities is Strabag EAD and the deadline for implementation is 16 months.
Speaking to journalists on BDZ Passenger Services’ preserved bank accounts, Minister Moskovski commented that these loans were granted in 2007, and so far, there is no single document showing how it was intended to be paid. "I think that this way the Bulgarian citizens are being offended, insisting that the funds be paid from the state budget, that is, from the taxes of the Bulgarian citizens," the minister said.
Minister Moskovski emphasized that the company is in normal condition and can manage its debts and assets on a market-based basis. "We continue to follow our policy - the Transport sector to deal with this situation so that we do not have to raise funds from the state budget, and the money will probably be an interest-free loan," the minister said.
Moskovski proposed to hold a referendum and ask Bulgarian citizens whether they agree to pay BDZ’s debts. "No one asked them when these loans were taken, and now is it proper to pay with money from the state budget," the minister said.
Minister Moskovski called the creditors and their shareholders to explain how they gave out the loans after they were aware that the company was actually going bankrupt at the time of disbursement. "When we took BDZ, we prepared a restructuring plan that included refinancing current debts. The only bank that was willing to finance BDZ was the World Bank and it was with a state guarantee. It is strange how bank bondholders and their shareholders have not been interested," the minister said.
"As a minister, I have gone all the way, so that I can legitimately make the state help the company. That is why we have been waiting for two years to notify state aid from Brussels. Therefore, the state budget can help this very legally. Two days ago, I had a talk with the Minister of Finance, Vladislav Goranov concerning the topic and in this regard, I asked him to activate the state aid. It is not excluded that the distrainment will lead to the sale of assets," Moskovski also said.
