The new Public Transport Law is ready. Next week we will begin discussing the texts together with the National Association of Municipalities, announced Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport and Communications Grozdan Karadjov during today's meeting with mayors from the municipalities in Ruse Region, organized by the Regional Governor Dragomir Draganov.
„We agreed with the mayors that we will first provide the draft law to the Association of Municipalities, as well as to all professional organizations. We will discuss it and only after we have agreed on all issues will we submit the document to the Council of Ministers and then to the National Assembly“, said Minister Karadjov.
The new law provides for the creation of a National Transport Scheme, which will be based on real data on passenger flow. Railway transport will play a leading role, and bus schedules will be aligned with railway schedules. The other key element is the introduction of a single electronic ticket, which will be valid for buses, trains and urban transport in the cities included in the integrated system.
“We are obliged to provide convenient public transport for all Bulgarian citizens, regardless of how small and remote the settlement in which they live is. The principle of a minimum of three daily services will be introduced – morning, noon and evening, and in case of higher load additional lines will be provided“, Karadjov pointed out.
From the data at the moment it is clear that in small settlements there are increasingly no carriers willing to serve the bus lines, and the reason is the low load and lack of economic interest. “This is already a mass phenomenon and shows a defect in the current system“, Minister Karadjov emphasized.
The reform is planned for a period of three years, starting from January 1, 2026. The expectations are that its introduction will guarantee sufficient and convenient transport services throughout the country, with a central role for railway transport.