News

The initiatives during the upcoming first Bulgarian Presidency of the Council of EU, were discussed in a meeting today between the caretaker Minister of Transport, Information Technology and Communications Hristo Alexiev and the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Romania in Sofia Ion Gâlea.

Zero tolerance for non-compliance of safety and security standards for the transport of passengers and freights in the railway sector. That stated the caretaker Minister of Transport, Information Technology and Communications Hristo Alexiev in an extraordinary meeting with the Railway Administration Executive Agency (RAEA) and the Railway Accidents Investigation Unit. The reason for it was yesterday's accident with the composition of the private railway undertaking in Dylgopol-Komunari interstation.

The Minister of Transport, Information Technology and Communications Hristo Alexiev held the first meeting with the Permanent Representative of the World Bank for Bulgaria Tony Thompson. They discussed future cooperation between the two institutions in the field of railways and communications.

With protocol decision of the Minister of Transport, Information Technology and Communications Hristo Alexiev there were made changes in the composition of the Board of Directors of "Holding BDZ" EAD.

Mr. Vladimir Vladimirov was deprived and Mr. Georgi Drumev was appointed to take his position. By Decision of the Managing Authority of the company, Mr. Georgi Drumev was elected for CEO.

Mr. George Drumev is a specialist in the field of railways and a longtime employee of the system. In different periods of his career, he was a Manger “BDZ Cargo” Ltd.

Four project proposals  were  submitted under the third invitation of the Connecting Europe Facility "Transport" sector (Cohesion package). Two projects were submitted by State Enterprise "Air Traffic Control", one of State Enterprise "National Company Railway Infrastructure" and one of "Road Infrastructure Agency". The total investment value is 207 million euros  and EU funding amounts to 85%.

By the end of March will be initiated tender procedures for three major railway projects which to be implemented with European funding, stated caretaker Minister of Transport, Information Technology and Communications Hristo Alexiev during the presentation of the team and the main priorities and tasks. He pointed out that these are the projects on the modernization of the railway sections Elin Pelin - Kostenets, Kostenets - Septemvri and Sofia - Voluyak, which is part of the railway line Sofia - Dragoman. Their total value is about 700 mln. Euro.

I will ask for an urgent meeting with the colleagues from the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy to address the issue on the new requirements for posting of drivers performing international road haulage operations. Such a commitment took caretaker Minister of Transport, Information Technologyand Communications Hristo Alexiev during today's meeting with representatives of the professional organizations in the field of carriage of goods.

Caretaker Minister of Transport, Information Technology and Communications Hristo Alexiev met today with representatives of the Bulgarian Airlines Association.

During the talks the representatives of the industry expressed willingness to be elaborated a strategy to provide guidelines for the development of aviation. They stated their readiness to continue the work of the Advisory Board in the fields of aviation.

Caretaker Minister of Transport, Information Technology and Communications Hristo Alexiev stated in a letter to the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Networks of Greece Christos Spirtzis that he expects from the Greek state to take all necessary measures to prevent the closure of the border-crossing points and the hindering of the free movement of goods and people between the two countries.

Organizing of fair and democratic elections is one of the main priorities of the caretaker government, stated the caretaker Minister of Transport, Information Technology and Communications Hristo Alexiev during the MTITC management handover ceremony. The management of "Information Services" AD, which is within the system of the Ministry will have the task to start immediately the preparation for holding of elections.

In relation to forecasts on worsening weather conditions in northern Bulgaria within the Ministry of Transport, Information Technology and Communications were undertaken all necessary preventive measures, stated the Deputy Chairman of the National Headquarters for Disaster Protection of Population and a Minister of Transport, Information Technology and Communications Ivaylo Moskovski.

By order of Minister Moskovski all river and sea ports are ready to close, to stop the maneuvers of vessels and render assistance to operational teams.

The Bulgarian Institute for Metrology certified officially the centralized system for on-line ticketing and booking for the use of “BDZ-Passenger Services” Ltd. services.

All the railway stations and bureaus in the country use the system, which the Information Services JSC developed. It services all the destinations in Bulgaria. The system allows also buying tickets from the conductor in the train. It is accessible via Internet from each point in the world.

With regard to allegations of the MPs Dragomir Stoynev, Zhelyu Boychev and Georgi Svilenski, the Ministry of Transport, Information Technology and Communications shall provide the following information:

1. The feasibility study for the construction of Intermodal Terminal Plovdiv started in 2008 (by the Cabinet of Sergey Stanishev), where were set the guidelines for the implementation of the project, including the implementation of public-private partnership.

I have ordered the Bulgarian Posts to join the campaign in support of Hitrino village, which is in a state of extreme crisis after a railway accident. That has explained the Minister of Transport, Information Technology and Communications, Mr. Ivaylo Moskovski.

As per order of the Minister of Transport, Information Technology and Communications, Ivaylo Moskovski, the National Railway Infrastructure Company sent two cranes to the site of the accident in Hitrino.

The Ministers of Transport, Information Technology and Communications of Bulgaria, Romania and Serbia send a common letter to the European Commission for support of the project for cross-border infrastructure for Internet access in one of the less developed regions of Europe – the Northern Balkans. Today, the Deputy Minister of Transport, Information Technology and Communications, Mr. Valery Borissov has visited Bucharest in order the shaping of the document to be finalized.

Funds disbursed  to the beneficiaries of OP on "Transport and transport infrastructure" so far are nearly 280 million BGN, said Galina Vassileva - Deputy Head of the Managing Authority of the program during the Sixth meeting of the Monitoring Committee of OPTTI 2014-2020. The event was held in the period 28 - 29 November in "Boyana" residence.

Cybersecurity can be maintained through joint efforts and synergy between countries, companies and individuals, stated the Minister of Transport, Information Technology and Communications Ivaylo Moskovski at the opening of the Third Regional Cybersecurity Forum.

The Ministry of Transport, Information Technology and Communications (MTITC) hosts the Third Regional Cybersecurity Forum. From 29 to 30 November in Sofia will gather over 80 experts from European countries and NGOs, as well as from the European Commission, NATO and the World Bank. Organizers of the prestigious event are the International Telecommunication Union and the European Union Agency for Network and Information Security (ENISA).

Deputy Minister of Transport, Information Technology and Communications Valery Borissov and UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova validated a postal-philatelic edition dedicated to the 60th anniversary of Bulgaria's membership in the organization.

Since the mid 20th century until now in Bulgaria have been issued more than 20 stamps on the role of the United Nations and the structures thereto, said at the ceremony, Deputy Minister Valery Borissov. He recalled that the first one was dedicated to the UNESCO building in Paris.