Ministry of Transport, Information Technology and Communications

The modernization of the railway line from Plovdiv to the Greek and Turkish borders began more than 10 years ago and finally completes. This was announced by Minister of Transport, Information Technology and Communications Ivaylo Moskovski during the official opening of the railway sections Dimitrovgrad - Simeonovgrad, Lyubimets - Greek border and railway station Lyubimets that are part of the project "Reconstruction and electrification of the railway line Plovdiv - Svilengrad along corridors IV and IX, phase 2: section Parvomay - Svilengrad." The ceremony was attended by Prime Minister Boyko Borissov, Deputy Ministers of Transport, Information Technology and Communications Anton Ginev and Valery Borissov, representatives of the local and the central governmental authorities and others.

According to Minister Moskovski, within a few months will be completed the section from the city of Plovdiv to the town of Septemvri too and will remain to be realized the section from Sofia to the border with Serbia. "Without political stability and the support of all institutions, including municipalities and mayors, be sure that this could not be realized," said Minister Moskovski. He added that will be exerted all efforts to have in a few years, besides new infrastructure, new trains that will move along it. The Minister pointed out the project readiness also for the railway projects in Northern Bulgaria. "We are ready with the conceptual design of the sections Mezdra - Gorna Oryahovitsa, Rousse - Varna, Vidin – Sofia."

"For the new programming period our aim is to finalize the railway lines that are already started", said Moskovski. "Within a few years from Serbia to Turkey, Greece and port Bourgas freights will move on completely renovated tracks, allowing quick and safe travel", he said.

"Lyubimets Railway Station was in poor condition when I first came here. Several years of work and I think you all find the difference", said the Prime Minister at the opening. He added that the towns in the region - Lyubimets, Svilengrad, Harmanli and Dimitrovgrad are now minutes away from each other no matter whether along the motorway or by train.

The mayor of the town of Lyubimets Atanas Atanassov thanked to the team of Minister Moskovski and said this is the first renovation of the railway station since 143 years.

Prime Minister Boyko Borissov and Minister Ivaylo Moskovski travelled along the fully renovated track from the town of Lyubimets to the town of Svilengrad. The locomotive, which was operated by the Prime Minister personally, reached a speed of 205 km/h.

The Project "Reconstruction and electrification of the railway line Plovdiv - Svilengrad along corridors IV and IX, phase 2: section Parvomay - Svilengrad" amounts to 424 mln. levs in total and is financed under Operational Programme on "Transport" 2007 - 2013. After the implementation of the project, the speed along the railway line will increase to 160 km/h for passenger trains, 200 km/h for trains with tilting wagons and 120 km/h for freight trains. Under the project are renovated all railway stations falling within its range – Dimitrovgrad, Simeonovgrad, Nova Nadezhda, Harmanli, Lyubimets, Svilengrad. Under construction are a contact network, traction substations, signaling systems, telecommunications and radio operation.