We are looking for opportunities to purchase or lease new rolling stock at short notice, and have also sent enquiries to several companies in Germany. This was said by the Minister of Transport and Communications Georgi Gvozdeykov during a meeting with the Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany in Bulgaria H.E. Irene Plank.
"Our ambition is to launch urgently the long-awaited modernisation of the railway transport, which has been talked about for a decade but there has been no significant progress," Gvozdeykov said. He presented the steps that have been taken so far and stressed that it is important what will be the results of the market survey, for which responses are still awaited from several companies. Ambassador Irene Planck stressed that Germany is ready to assist Bulgaria in the process of modernising this transport.
They also discussed the transfer of the management of the port terminal Rosenets to the state after the termination of the concession on 15 August 2023. Minister Gvozdeykov explained that an agreement with Lukoil will be signed soon and there is no expected interruption in the terminal's work process.
Regarding the solidarity corridors, Minister Gvozdeykov pointed out that given the situation in the Black Sea, an alternative route is being worked on, passing through Bulgaria, for the supply of Ukrainian grain. "The Ukraine-Romania-Bulgaria-Alexandroupolis land corridor was discussed at a meeting between the prime ministers of Bulgaria and Greece and the Greek side supported this initiative. Bulgaria has created a capacity for the passage of 5,000 tons of Ukrainian grain in 24 hours," the Transport Minister said.
Ambassador Planck confirmed that Germany supports Bulgaria's accession to Schengen. Minister Gvozdeykov pointed out that the freight traffic at the borders, as well as the migrant wave, will be overcome much easier after our accession to Schengen.
