The modernization of the ports in Varna and Burgas, together with the doubling of the capacity of the railway and road infrastructure to Turkey, will significantly improve Bulgaria's connectivity with the Black Sea region, the Caucasus and Asia. This became clear during the meeting of the Minister of Transport and Communications Georgi Peev with the Secretary General of the Permanent Secretariat of the Intergovernmental Commission TRACECA Zhasurbek Choriev, which was held at the Ministry of Transport and Communications.
The Head of the European Union Program for the Development of the Europe-Caucasus-Asia Transport Corridor is on a regional visit, which also includes Bulgaria.
Minister Peev emphasized that Bulgaria is working intensively on priorities in the transport sector that are common to those of TRACECA. One of them is the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, known as the Middle Corridor.
Bulgaria's geographical location on the Black Sea creates prerequisites for the country to play a significant role, with ports establishing themselves as strategic entry points for trade flows in the region, Minister Peev pointed out. According to him, the two Bulgarian ports can significantly develop the potential of TRACECA by ensuring fast and reliable maritime transport between the countries.
“We attach great importance to regional connectivity and connections with international transport corridors that facilitate the transport of goods through Bulgaria both in the north-south and east-west directions“, emphasized Georgi Peev.
TRACECA Secretary General Jasurbek Choriev stated that over the next 10-year period, Europe could invest 10 billion euros in transport connectivity. He also announced that TRACECA is preparing a new digital map of projects, requesting Bulgaria to provide the strategic projects announced by the government, as well as those for which an action plan was signed in Brussels.
Before the conversation, a working meeting was held with representatives of enterprises and agencies in the system of the Ministry of Transport and Communications, who introduced TRACECA Secretary General Zhasurbek Choriev to the main transport projects on Bulgarian territory.