| News Title | Summary |
| New vignette charging system to be implemented | As of 1st April 2004 will be implemented a new vignette charging system for motor vehicles
using the Bulgarian road network for a certain periods of time. With the implementation
of the new charging system the motorway charges which were paid by foreign transport
operators are to be abolished. |
| Priorities of the Transport Ministry for 2004 | Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport Nikolay Vassilev presented the priorities
of the Ministry of Transport and Communications (MTC) for 2004 before the members
of Association of the Foreign Investors in Bulgaria (AFIB).
The construction of the new terminal at Sofia Airport in 2005 and the commencement of
high technology projects are amongst the main issues of the MTC, Minister Vassilev said. |
| Bulgaria to ease border control regime | Bulgaria has announced its plan to complete the revamping of its border crossing regime
by the end of January 2004.
In a decision reached by the Bulgarian government on 9 January 2004, local authorities
will soon introduce a comprehensive action plan to ease the crossing of the country's border
checkpoints and simplify passport and customs control procedures. |
| Commission approves financial support for cross-border co-operation | On 30 January the Minister of Regional
Development and Public Works Valentin
Tserovski met Mr. Francois Bejeot, Head of
the Team for Bulgaria in the Enlargement
Directorate of the European Commission. The
goal of the meeting was the EC mission in
Bulgaria for Phare CBC, which was held from
29 January to 8 February. The main objective
was to present Phare CBC Programme for
cooperation between Bulgaria-Serbia and
Montenegro and Bulgaria-Macedonia. |
| PHARE grants Bulgaria EUR 39.9 million for border regions development | New Phare projects at the total amount of Euro 39.9 million start in the spring of 2004,
officials by the Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works announced.
According to the Financial Memorandum 2002, the projects, which will be implemented
under Phare Trans-border cooperation between Bulgaria and Greece, amount to EUR 20
million. Rehabilitation and partial reconstruction of Road II-19 Razlog-Gotze Delchev and
a second tunnel construction of the ring road of the town of Dupnitza are amongst the projects
in the field of infrastructure. |
| Construction of new Bulgarian-Romanian CBCP at Silistra-Kalarash starts | Setting up of a ferry line Silistra-Kalarash and new cross border check point starts in
March. Both the Bulgarian and Rumanian Governments support the project. The complex
will service the passengers and trade traffic between both towns and it will give an opportunity
for the development of RO-RO transport to the Ukrainian town of Reni. |
| Bulgaria and Serbia cooperate in the traffic of goods and passengers | Bulgarian and Serbian authorities will take every step necessary for railway service
between the two neighbor countries to be improved, Bulgarian Transport Minister Nikolay
Vassilev said during the meeting with Amir Nurkovich, Minister of Economy of Serbia and
Montenegro at Gradina-Kalotina frontier pass.
Vassilev pointed out that measures would be taken to speed up border checks, thus passengers
from Bulgaria to
Serbia and the other way about
would reach their final destination
more quickly. |
| BGL 10 million requisite for reconstruction of CBCP Capitan Andreevo | The Minister of Regional Development and Public Works Valentin Tserovski visited the
Bulgarian-Turkish border in an attempt to take measures for improving the cross-border traffic
of passengers and goods. As first necessary step according to the experts from the
Ministry of Regional Development and Border Police was pointed out the widening of exit
and entry carriageways. The infrastructure will be financed by the national budget while
some measures may be compensated through a loan from the World Bank. |
| Bulgaria eases Border Crossing regime with Turkey | A new checkpoint near Lesovo village will be opened at Bulgarian border with Turkey
in a bid to ease the border crossing regime. The decision was announced by Transport
Minister Nikolay Vassilev. The move aims to facilitate customs and transport control with
Turkey. Six ministers prepared proposals for improving control at all border checkpoints,
presented in the end of January. |
| Bulgaria negotiates joint transport projects with Turkey | On the invitation of Minister of Transport of Republic of Turkey Binali Yaldirim,
Bulgarian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport Nikolay Vassilev paid an official
visit in Turkey. Nikolay Vassilev and his Turkish counterpart reviewed the possibilities
for cooperation in the field of civil aviation and management of the air traffic, from the
Ministry of Transport announced. |
| Bulgarian-Romanian Danube Bridge II construction discussed | The topics of the pan European transport corridors were discussed on the meeting of the
Business Consultative Council for Southeast Europe with the Stability Pact on 11 February.
In the event, opened by Minister of Transport and Communications Nikolay Vassilev, took
part Erhard Busek, Special Coordinator of the Stability Pact. Danube Bridge II and Sofia-Nish
Motorway remain priorities of the Stability
Pact, Erhard Busek said during the meeting. |
| Tendering an approach road to Greek border | The Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works announced two international
open tenders for construction and provision of supervision services of approach road to
Greek border through Rudozem CBCP. Their implementation is financed by the national
budget and Bulgaria-Greece CBC Programme and its total amount is EUR 11 million. |
| Bulgaria, Armenia may set up joint ferry line | Bulgarian Transport Minister Nikolay Vassilev and Armenian Minister of Transport
Andranik Manukyan discussed in Sofia the possibilities for opening a ferry line between
Varna and Caucasus on 24 February.
Manukyan arrived in Bulgaria for the third session of the Bulgarian-Armenian intergovernmental
committee, established to improve cooperation between the two countries in the
fields of trade, economy and science. |
| Sofia public transport project | The city of Sofia has received a loan from the European Bank for Reconstruction and
Development (EBRD) to implement the 1st Phase of a Public Transport Project.
The project will require the procurement of the following works, goods and services:
tran refurbishment, solo buses and electronic ticketing system. |