Bulgaria has proposed that the strategic railway section Ruse–Gorna Oryahovitsa be included in the annex of the Connecting Europe Facility for the period 2028-2034. At a meeting of the Transport Council today in Brussels, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport and Communications Grozdan Karadzhov emphasized that the section is key for cross-border connectivity, military mobility, and the development of the European corridor "Baltic Sea – Black Sea – Aegean Sea."
The proposal for the Connecting Europe Facility for the next EU financial framework envisages €51 billion for cross-border infrastructure and military mobility projects. Bulgaria has already succeeded in including the Sofia-Skopje section as a key route of Corridor 8 in the list of projects under this instrument.
Deputy Prime Minister Karadzhov also highlighted the importance of the legislative proposals in the Roadworthiness Package for road safety.
"We support the introduction of higher and harmonized European requirements, especially regarding vehicles subject to mandatory periodic roadworthiness tests, as well as odometer data. This is an important tool in the fight against fraud," he stated. Karadzhov recalled that Bulgaria already maintains a national register with odometer readings for all vehicles.
He emphasized that our country has introduced annual technical inspections for all motor vehicles, including those over 10 years old — a measure that exceeds the requirements in the texts adopted today.
In a discussion on the dimensions and maximum authorized weights of certain road vehicles, the Deputy Prime Minister emphasized Bulgaria's position as a transit country that existing parameters should not be exceeded, in order to protect road infrastructure and guarantee safety.
