Bulgaria's transport policy is aimed at strengthening the country's role as a "gateway" between Europe, the Western Balkans and the Black Sea region, while at the same time ensuring effective connections for global transport flows to and from Asia. This was said by the Minister of Transport and Communications Georgi Peev within the framework of the panel "Building an infrastructure network in the region: strategic infrastructure and connectivity in Southeast Europe" at the seventh edition of the Sofia Economic Forum VII, organized by the Delphi Economic Forum.
He emphasized that one of the most significant challenges facing Bulgaria today is the insufficient transport connections along the “North-South“ axis. That is why today our goal is to develop joint projects that will ensure effective vertical connectivity between Greece, Bulgaria and Romania. There are three main North-South axes - Western, Central and Eastern. These corridors will provide improved connections between border crossings, industrial centers, logistics centers and ports, Peev pointed out. According to him, North-South connectivity should also be considered in the context of the challenging geopolitical environment. He also drew attention to the insufficient number of bridges across the Danube River.
Peev stressed that the government is working to mobilize private capital through public-private partnerships for the implementation of infrastructure projects. In recent months, the government has made serious efforts to introduce a new approach to the management of strategic sites and projects. This initiative marks a transition from the previous fragmented lists of ideas to a more coordinated framework for planning and developing strategic projects, he said.
Former Vice President of the European Investment Bank (EIB) Lilyana Pavlova stressed that public funds plus European funding will not be enough to build the necessary infrastructure in our
region. Nowadays, connectivity is above all security, she believes. According to her, the state should turn to public-private partnerships. We must resist cross-border projects from receiving a fast track for their approval, Pavlova pointed out.
According to the executive director of the Thrace economic zone Plamen Panchev, the connection to the region will allow more investments to enter.
The chairman of the Bulgarian-Greek Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Savvas Karafilidis, pointed out that Greece has experience in public-private partnerships and is ready to exchange it with Bulgaria. The transport corridors that are in the plans for construction in the region are important for business. We need large and fast highways and railways, he noted.
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