The Minister of Transport and Communications Georgi Gvozdeykov and the Minister of Interior Kalin Stoyanov held an urgent meeting with the Bulgarian Ambassador in Bucharest H.E. Radko Vlaykov to discuss the situation with the crossing of the border checkpoints Vidin—Calafat and Ruse—Giurgiu and to identify measures to solve the problem.
The talks are on the occasion of numerous signals from the heavy goods industry representatives about kilometres-long queues at the exit from Bulgaria to Romania. ‘Close cooperation is needed between the institutions involved in the issue and together with the Ministry of Interior and the local authorities we will create an organisation to solve this systemic problem,’ Minister Gvozdeykov stressed. Georgi Gvozdeykov also pointed out that the Bulgarian state is fully prepared for the launch of the Ruse—Giurgiu ferry line.
‘If we launch the ferry as soon as possible, it will reduce the traffic by 25%, which will significantly improve the situation on the Danube Bridge,’ explained the Transport Minister. Minister Kalin Stoyanov commented that he monitors the situation daily at all border checkpoints and is in constant contact with the leaders of the Ministry of Interior in the country.
‘I have arranged for a full capacity operation,’ he added. Ambassador Radko Vlaykov hailed the two ministers for the good coordination between them and for the faster resolution of the issues of common interest. During the meeting current aspects of relations with Romania and in particular the interaction on the accession of Bulgaria and Romania to Schengen, the connectivity between the two countries and the navigation on the Danube river were also discussed. The Deputy Minister of Transport and Communications Dimitar Nedyalkov and the Interim Director of the Border Police Directorate General Anton Zlatanov also participated in the meeting.
