Investments in railway infrastructure on the lines of Corridor VIII Sofia-Plovdiv-Burgas and Karnobat-Sindel-Varna exceed BGN 3 billion. This includes all projects already implemented and those underway. We are actively working to finalise the implementation of the 2.4 km rail link project with RSM, which is earmarked for funding under the Transport Connectivity Programme 2021-2027. Both the Cohesion Fund and the Connecting Europe Facility are used to achieve this objective. The construction of Corridor VIII has been a consistent and long-standing policy of the Ministry.
This was said by the Minister of Transport and Communications Krasimira Stoyanova at the opening of the "Railway Forum-2024", which takes place today and tomorrow at the Federation of Scientific and Technical Unions in Sofia.
During the forum it was emphasized that the Ministry of Transport and Communications continues its active work on the modernization of the railway infrastructure in compliance with the standards for speed, safety and security. Everything possible is being done to purchase new rolling stock so that the advantages of rail transport are clearly felt, not only in terms of its environmental friendliness, but also in terms of speed and ease of travel. Minister Stoyanova highlighted the fact that for the first time the purchase of new electric trains will be financed by the Transport Connectivity Programme 2021-2027, as well as the huge delay of our country in the renewal of passenger trains.
I count on and expect your expert and professional discussion to help the ministry in developing the future EU programmes for the period after 2027 - with these words Minister Stoyanova wished success to today's session.
The forum is organized by the Union of European Railway Engineers Associations and was opened by the President of the organization Eng. Olaf Scholz-Knobloch. During the two-day event, papers will be presented by leading German, Austrian, Italian, Swiss, French and Bulgarian specialists in the field of rail transport.
