Public Relations and Protocol

We are accelerating the steps towards the actual implementation of the measures identified under the Fast Danube Project. Together with Romania, we will seek European funding to create normal conditions for navigation on the Danube more days a year and with a greater capacity of ships in the next few years. This was stated by the Minister of Transport and Communications Nikolay Sabev during the Christening Ceremony of the newly built shunting ship "Iskar", owned by the Executive Agency for Exploration and Maintenance of the Danube River.

An inspection is underway, ordered by the Minister of Transport and Communications Nikolay Sabev, in connection with the signal spread by the Fighter Association to cover up irregularities in the activity of Union Ivkoni. The facts and circumstances surrounding the organization and implementation of inspections of the bus company, carried out over the years by employees of the Road Transport Administration Executive Agency, are being clarified.

All construction companies that carry out their projects on schedule and with the required quality have our support. With the others, we will consider the possibility of terminating contracts and announcing new procedures in which we will invite the best international companies to participate. This was stated by the Minister of Transport and Communications Nikolay Sabev during an inspection of railway projects along Sofia-Plovdiv railway line.

BULATSA Academy resumed the session for participation in the selection for the position of Air Traffic Controller. From today to October 31, those wishing to apply for the profession can submit documents on the official website of BULATSA www.bulatsa.com.

The specialized non-self-propelled vessels are designed to carry out rescue operations in the common Bulgarian-Romanian section of the Danube, in case of incidents and disasters and in operations to limit and eliminate spills of petroleum products and hazardous substances. The barges have specialized equipment and will be positioned in the ports of Ruse and Lom, and their scope will cover the common Bulgarian-Romanian section of the river.

The Minister of Transport and Communications Nikolay Sabev met with the Ambassador of Ukraine to Bulgaria Vitaly Moskalenko.

The capacity of the Bulgarian transport infrastructure and the logistics sector were considered.

The meeting was also attended by Oleksandr Riepkin, Adviser to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine on economic diplomacy. He expressed sincere gratitude for Bulgaria's support in this difficult for Ukraine time.

BULATSA launches a campaign for the selection of engineering and technical personnel and specialists in the field of information systems. We are looking for proactive and positive people with teamwork skills and experience from participating in projects, with analytical thinking, organized and adaptable.

More information about vacant positions, requirements for participation in the selection process and stages of the selection procedure can be found on BULATSA website at:

https://www.bulatsa.com/infocenter/karieri

The Ministry of Transport and Communications will assist in organizing a working meeting of stakeholders on the City Railway Project in Ruse. This was stated by Minister Nikolay Sabev at a meeting with the Association of Regional Governors of Ruse. The meeting was hosted by the Governor of the Regional Administration Anatoli Stanev and the Deputy Governor Lyudmil Hristov.

The Ministry of Transport and Communications assessed the applications of Bulgarian airlines for grants.

The approved eligible candidates will receive a grant of a total of BGN 56 million. The timely provision of assistance will maintain the competitiveness of Bulgarian airlines.

The financial support is provided by the State Budget of the Republic of Bulgaria.

Under the auspices of the Minister of Transport and Communications Nikolay Sabev is the celebration in Ruse of the 15th Anniversary of the accession of Bulgaria and Romania to the European Union. The event will be celebrated on Europe Day, 9 May.

The initiative is a joint one with the Elias Canetti International Society and Ruse Regional Administration.

Minister Sabev will host a panoramic boat trip on the Danube River, which will include representatives of the diplomatic corps in Bulgaria, as well as local authorities from Bulgaria and Romania.

The Ruse-Giurgiu-Ferry line will resume operations. The resumption was enabled by the Agreement signed today between Bulgaria and Romania on the opening at the Bulgarian-Romanian border of the Ruse-Giurgiu-Ferry Border Checkpoint. The document was signed in the presence of the two Prime Ministers of Bulgaria and Romania, Kiril Petkov and Nicolae Ciucă, by Transport and Infrastructure Minister Sorin Grindeanu and Deputy Transport and Communications Minister Vladimir Varbanov.

The opening of the Border Crossing will significantly ease the traffic on the Bulgarian-Romanian border.

Deputy Minister of Transport and Communications Vladimir Varbanov held a meeting today with representatives of the aviation industry. During the talks, a general opinion was expressed that timely and fair support from the State is needed to this very important sector of our economy.

On March 18, 2022, the European Commission approved the scheme to support Bulgarian air carriers.

Only in dialogue with the Municipalities we can achieve synergy between the different modes of public transport and a functioning National Transport Scheme. This was stated by the Deputy Minister of Transport and Communications Bozhidar Kostadinov in the framework of a meeting with the Mayor of Pernik Stanislav Vladimirov and the Regional Governor Kiril Stoev.

From 10.00 on 14 April 2022, air carriers with an operating license of a carrier in the EU with a passenger authorization issued by the Director-General of the Civil Aviation Administration Directorate-General will have the opportunity to apply for government grants. The deadline for submitting applications is 4.30 p.m. on April 26, 2022. Applications are to be submitted to the Registry Office of the Ministry of Transport and Communications.

Starting from April 25, the run of the international train between Sofia and Istanbul will resume. This became clear after the management of BDZ and the Turkish Railways (TCDD) agreed to run the train again before the start of the summer season.

The international train from Istanbul will depart at 22.00 on April 25, and arrive at Sofia Central Station at 09.35. In the opposite direction from Sofia to Istanbul the train will depart according to schedule at 18.30 on April 26, and will reach its final destination Istanbul in 07.00.

We are taking action to tackle the gray sector and unregulated road transport. Each received signal will be worked on jointly with the National Revenue Agency. This was announced by the Minister of Transport and Communications Nikolay Sabev during a discussion on the vision for the development of public transport 2022 - 2027.

Next week, an expert council will start working, the first step of which is to synchronize the schedules between all modes of transport. The council will also address the short-term problems of carriers.

Smart cities can attract funding for projects under the Digital Europe Programme and the Connecting Europe Facility 2021-2027. The Ministry of Transport and Communications supports Bulgarian organisations and companies in applying for two mechanisms. This was stated by the Deputy Minister of Transport and Communications Dilyan Berkovski at the conference "Digital Sofia – The Smart City". He informed that currently there is a possibility to apply in 28 competitions on different topics, and new opportunities will open in September.

Plamen Stanchev takes over the management of Sofia Airport EAD by Order of the Minister of Transport and Communications Nikolay Sabev.

The current Executive Director of Sofia Airport EAD, Krassimir Peshev, has been appointed a member of the Board of Directors of Plovdiv Airport EAD together with Doychin Angelov, pending a competition procedure.

Plamen Spasov and Petar Georgiev are released from the management of Plovdiv Airport EAD without being released from responsibility.

The Minister of Transport and Communications Nikolay Sabev released the executive director of "Transport Construction and Restoration" Bozhidar Dzhelebov, and with this act he is not released from responsibility.

Ivo Yanakiev has been appointed a member of the Board of Directors of the company until a competition procedure is held.

The decision is in connection with the company's activities regarding the contract for the deepening of the Port of Varna, which is subject to checks by the Ministry of Interior and the Prosecutor's Office.

Deputy Minister of Transport and Communications Vladimir Varbanov called for a temporary suspension of the provisions of the Mobility Package I on the return of trucks until the end of Russia's military aggression against Ukraine. This happened during today's informal video conference of the European Union's Transport Ministers.

The Deputy Minister pointed out that the war in Ukraine would have a long-term negative impact on the state of the economy and the functioning of the transport sector in the European Union.