More bridges over the Danube are not just a bilateral issue between Bulgaria and Romania - it is a strategic priority for the prosperity of the entire European Union and for our collective security within NATO. This was emphasized by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport and Communications Grozdan Karadjov during a meeting with the coordinator of the transport corridor “Rhine-Danube” Margarita Marquez and with Mario Mauro - coordinator of the transport corridor “Baltic Sea-Black Sea-Aegean Sea”. The two representatives of the European Commission are visiting Bulgaria in connection with the finalization of the Memorandum of Understanding between Bulgaria, Greece and Romania, which is expected to be signed by the end of the year.
“The faster construction of the third bridge over the Danube and the conclusion of agreements for two more – Silistra-Kalaraş and Nikopol-Turnu Magurele – are key Bulgarian priorities”, said Karadjov. He stressed that Bulgaria has accelerated the procedures under the Fast Danube 2 project as much as possible and annually dredges the river to ensure its year-round navigability. “I am convinced that we will receive the highest support from the European Commission. These projects go beyond national interests – they are important for the entire Union“, he added.
The Deputy Prime Minister stressed that more bridges in one of the most underdeveloped parts of Europe will bring an economic boost to the entire region. “Europe needs more connectivity along the Danube. Every new bridge is an investment not only in infrastructure, but also in the future of our peoples“, the Minister said. He emphasized that the new facilities will stimulate the construction of accompanying infrastructure – roads, rail connections and logistics centers, which will facilitate the movement of goods and people, create new jobs and encourage investment in border areas.
For her part, Margarita Marquez stressed that the new bridges can rely not only on funding under the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF), but also on significant opportunities under the Cohesion Fund, which should be actively used. She noted that the regions on both sides of the Danube – both in Bulgaria and Romania – “remain one of the least developed in the European Union, and the new bridges would accelerate their economic development and help overcome the long-standing lag“.
The coordinator of the Baltic - Black - Aegean Sea corridor Mario Mauro emphasized that Bulgaria is not on the periphery of the European Union, but is at the very center of events, which opens up numerous opportunities. He stated that the signing of the trilateral memorandum would be a success not only for the region, but also for the entire Union, noting that this would be “just the beginning of a lot of joint work in the future“.